Unexpected Expectation
by UnendingEmpire
Summary: All descendants of Suwako have the blood of an evil goddess coursing through their veins.  When this blood awakens in Sanae, absolute mayhem unfolds in Gensokyo.
1. Chapter 1: It Finally Happened

**I've wanted to write this fanfic for so long! The only problem was that I could never figure out quite how to do it, and then I told Azure Xuchilbara about my planning out of this current incarnation of the story, and he gave me a few ideas that got my creative juices flowing. So, many thanks to you, Azure, and for once, Team Nineball has no influence in this fanfic. Well…maybe Cirno will get what's been coming to her later on, but that's about the extent of it.**

**On to the story!**

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><p>Spring in Gensokyo. This, along with summer, was one of the best seasons for an incident. However, this incident would not be the work of some bored or otherwise trouble-causing youkai. Instead, it would be something altogether…different.<p>

Sanae was doing nothing out of the ordinary; sweeping the grounds of the shrine. As relaxed as Sanae was about most things, she felt that the grounds of the shrine were her responsibility, and she always made more than a bit of an effort to see to it that those grounds were always the best they could be. Even if most others insisted that it was fine as is, Sanae would always find something that needed fixing or cleaning or something of the sort. In fact, the only two things that could even begin to compare to her compulsion to tend to the shrine grounds were her enthusiasm for youkai hunting and her faith to Kanako and Suwako. Then, out the corner of her eye, she could have sworn she saw something. She couldn't make out the shape of it, but as soon as her head turned to have a better look, it was gone…whatever it was.

"That's odd," she said to herself. _No matter. The shrine grounds still need some work._ So with that, Sanae got back to her sweeping. She was always up late like this, and she always woke up early to make sure that the shrine's grounds were still as good as they could be. Sometimes this small amount of sleep would catch up to her and she'd spend an entire day asleep, but that only happened once every few months, and since such a day was just yesterday, Sanae had plenty of energy to spend on the shrine. That also meant plenty of energy for hunting down any troublesome-looking youkai, but for some reason she felt more tired than she should have. One loud yawn told Sanae it was time for bed. This would be all the shrine work she was capable of tonight. Tomorrow was another day, and Suwako had told her that it would be a very special day…

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><p><strong>The next morning…<strong>

"…ako…"

"Nngh, ten more minutes."

"…wako."

"No…too sleepy."

"Suwako!" Kanako picked up her fellow goddess by the back of her shirt, and shook her violently. Why Suwako was such a lazy goddess was beyond Kanako. Perhaps because she didn't have to work hard to gather faith? "Wake up!" Then Kanako let go of the frog goddess, letting her hit the floor hard face-first.

"Ow!" Suwako leapt up to her feet on impact, covering her mouth and nose with her hands. "Kanako, that hurt! I think you might've broken my nose!"

"You'll live. We have a problem."

"Oh?"

"Sanae's missing."

"Oh!" Suwako's hands left her face to grab her hat. Yep, Kanako had _certainly_ broke Suwako's nose; the entire lower half of her face was covered in blood by now. "Just lemme fix my nose and we'll go search for her." Suwako placed her hat on her blonde head, now fully looking like herself save a broken nose. To fix that, she grabbed her nose with both hands, and snapped it back into place with a very grotesque snapping noise. "Alright. Are you ready to go?"

"Always." With that, Kanako near-literally stormed out the door of Suwako's room, through the shrine, and out the front door.

Suwako, on the other hand, seemed much calmer about all this. "She's finally there," Suwako said to herself. She couldn't help but smile at that; a much more sinister smile than usual. "Usually this happens to them a year or so younger, but Sanae's a good girl so I should expect her to be a late bloomer. I can only wonder where she is or what she's doing…wait, Kanako, come back!" Suwako had decided to at least explain the situation. After all, it was only polite to inform somebody of something when you root for the opposition…

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><p>"And you say you didn't see the culprit?"<p>

"If I did, I'd have caught her by now! Why are you here anyway, Aya?" Reimu didn't seem pleased that the tengu reporter was here, questioning her about the destruction of her shrine. Normally, it was an explosion or an earthquake that demolished the shrine, but this time that didn't seem to be the case. Not only was her shrine destroyed, but everything inside it was gone, like somebody had stolen her stuff and _then_ destroyed her shrine.

"There's been a crazy string of crimes like this in the last few hours. I've gotta say though, nobody got it as bad as you. Usually, the culprit just stole one item or destroyed just a bit of the building. Any ideas as to the culprit?"

"Not sure, but my gut says it's a youkai. One who specializes in destruction and theft…or a witch!" And like that, off Reimu flew, straight toward the Forest of Magic with the intention of paying Marisa Kirisame a not-so-friendly visit.

"This I've gotta see," Aya shouted to Reimu as the tengu took off and followed suit.

Then, from behind the bushes just off the shrine grounds, a green-haired miko stuck her head up. "Got her," she said. Sanae had been very busy since she woke up a few hours ago. After all, wiping out the competition was far from easy. Anybody that could stop her had been slowed down. The Hakurei Shrine was completely looted and leveled, and all that loot belonged to Sanae now. Sanae was just as much a goddess as Suwako or Kanako, so why hadn't she been gathering faith herself after all this time? It was decided; Sanae needed to gather faith herself…

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><p>"All of them," Kanako asked. "<em>All<em> of these girls had ran away at one point?"

"Every single one." Suwako had unrolled a Moriya artifact if ever there was one; a massive scroll listing the names of every generation of shrine maidens that were descended from Suwako, starting with the daughter of the frog goddess herself and at the bottom, Sanae Kochiya. "Generally speaking, they come back after a few days; they just need a bit of time alone to meditate and contemplate whether they are faithful to their goddess or if they'd rather serve themselves."

"Well…what happened to the ones that decided to serve themselves?"

"That hasn't happened in…oh, I'd say a thousand years or so. But in those rare events, I've only been able to stop them with death."

"D-D…Death? You can't kill Sanae!"

"She is your miko, and you view her as practically a daughter, and I respect that. But, above all, she's _my_ descendant, so if I feel that she has to be put down, I'm not going to hesitate. She's a good girl, though; she should be fine. Just expect a few days of chaos."

"What kind of chaos?"

"Have you ever wondered why I fused the shrine's roof with the rest of the building?"

"I thought it was to ward off an aerial assault. Much like the one that I didn't succeed in back in the war."

"Close, but no. I got tired of putting it back in place every twenty-some years. It'd get blown halfway across the world, then I'd have to go find it and stick it back on, only for it to get blown off again sometime."

"So…a tornado or a hurricane?"

"In the human world, yes. But, considering this is Gensokyo, a world where magic is the greatest power, I'd say we're leaning more towards a potential apocalypse than some silly twister."

"What should we do?"

"We wait and see what Sanae does next." Suwako could've sworn that Kanako wasn't a goddess if she didn't know better at that point in time. The sky goddess was pacing back and forth across the shrine faster than most humans ran, looking like an absolute train wreck of nerves. "Relax! I'm sure everything will be just fine, and before long the Moriya Shrine will be just like it was before." Suwako looked at the big scroll with the countless names. "Do you remember Sanae's mother?"

"Yes, Kira Kochiya. Ran off when she was about Sanae's age…oh. I see. And her mother as well?"

"Yep, and her mother before her as well as her mother too, going all the way back to my own daughter. Ah, I miss that girl sometimes; we had such wonderful fun together." Suwako missed the old days. Daily sacrifices, her worshippers anointing themselves in the blood of said sacrifices, releasing deadly curses to anybody who didn't worship her…it was fun. And then, of course, Kanako came down, wiped out Suwako's army, and after a long and grueling battle, the frog goddess was forced to relinquish her shrine over to Kanako. At first, Suwako's hostilities had remained, and several times she'd made attempts on Kanako's life in the Moriya Shrine itself, but at some point Suwako just woke up and…changed. She was infinitely cheerful and had that beaming smile across her face that was nearly as trademarked as her hat which Kanako got her as a gift to try and be friends. The hat…of course! "Oh, you're a very clever goddess, Kanako."

"Hm?"

Suwako pointed to her hat, and said "You sealed it in here, didn't you? My old personality? That's also why the hat is indestructible, right?"

"Y-You…you know?"

"I do now." From under Kanako's feet, thick vines shot out of the ground beneath the shrine and through the shrine's floor, wrapping tightly around Kanako's body. "How could you go behind my back like that? And here I thought we were friends."

"We became friends after I sealed away that old personality of yours."

"So, if, by some _miracle_, this hat were to cease to exist…"

"You wouldn't!"

"Try me. Those seals have been weakening; I started noticing it about a century after you defeated me. That's why I seem so crabby in the morning when I wake up, isn't it? Because my hat isn't on. Well, like I said…" Suwako took her hat off her head, putting her short blonde hair on full display. "Before long the Moriya Shrine will be just like it was before. I hope you can build a Yasaka Shrine somewhere; I'm taking my house back soon enough."

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><p>Sanae unrolled a piece of paper she'd found in her closet before she left. Attached to it was a note saying that it was a schematic for a building. Now that Sanae was looking at it…this was absolutely perfect. A shrine that had a feeling of a Gothic cathedral, and an evil temple as well. This looked like some kind of shrine right out of Sanae's nightmares…a building out of her nightmares? Yes…now that she looked, the building from her dreams was an exact replica of what was drawn out on the paper in front of her. In those nightmares, there had been a green-haired figure in a heavy black cloak. Would that be Sanae? In the nightmares, she'd been making sacrifices, anointing herself in blood, and even destroying entire towns. It was obvious now. Sanae was meant to be a goddess just as much as Suwako or Kanako, if not more.<p>

And then, of course, at the top of the paper were two words. "Moriya Shrine," it said…

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><p><strong>Meaning Kanako's shrine would become the Yasaka Shrine. This will be massive news on the Bunbunmaru, and Kanako is certain to freak out. Then again, perhaps Suwako is just trying to discourage her from attacking Sanae? Perhaps every Moriya descendant has tried to overthrow Kanako? I'm not gonna say how things will end, because I don't know myself, but if I were in complete control, Sanae would probably end up in a mental war like no other that would result in schizophrenia, severe bipolarism, and eventually a possible suicide. This will be considerably darker than my other works, maybe even a bit darker than Gensokyo's Nightmare. Then again, that has a sorta Nightmare on Elm Street feel on it, so maybe that's not the best example…I need to write some darker fanfics D:<strong>

**Oh, right, all praise to the infinite glory and power of Suwako!**

"Excuse me?"

**I-I mean, praise Sanae! All hail Sanae! Please don't kill me, Sanae!**


	2. Chapter 2: Setting the Stage

**Well, here it is. Sorry to keep the faithful readers (hehehe, get it?) waiting, but I'm quite far from my usual style of writing with this. I needed a break from writing Kaguya Vs. Mokou, so UE it would be. Hey, this fanfic has the same initials as my username! Hahaha, I'm smarter than I thought I was. Anyway, you'll probably notice that by the end of the chapter, I'm basically lining things up so that Gensokyo goes to hell in a hand basket. That's my intention here; fuck up Gensokyo as bad as I possibly can, then force…I'd better stop talking.**

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><p>How was Sanae to build a shrine on her own? When she was born, the original Moriya Shrine was long-since built and under Kanako's control for many, many years already. Plus, Sanae didn't know the first thing about construction! Extermination was her specialty; youkai extermination! Perhaps she could scare youkai into praying to Sanae? That wasn't a bad plan at all. But before she could do any of that, <em>she needed a shrine<em>!

"Excuse me," A figure asked from behind. "I need a miracle."

"Who are…Suwako?" Yes, this was Suwako. Why was her hat not on her head? "What are you doing here? Come to take me back, haven't you?"

"No, nothing of the sort. I need a miracle, Sanae, and only you can do this for me." Suwako held out the trademarked hat, and said "There are seals on this; very powerful ones. At first, I was going to ask you to destroy it, but it's far too stylish to go to waste, so I just need those seals lifted."

"And…what do _I_ get if I help?"

"Short of me not cutting your tongue out for being so disrespectful to your ancestor and goddess? I'll help you out with this whole 'being a goddess' thing. I'll even build the shrine."

Sanae really didn't want to lift those seals. But, there was no denying that she would need help from a professional in the more complicated aspects of being a goddess, as well as the fact that Suwako would build the shrine. "I accept your offer, Suwako. Just don't make me regret it."

"Choose your words carefully, Sanae. That's _my_ blood running in your veins, just keep that in mind."

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><p>"Damn!" Suwako was damn smart! Kanako had been trying hard to get out of the vines that had been holding her, but if she moved she was pricked by countless thorns, enough so to cause a great deal of pain. Unless somebody else came to get her out, Kanako was stuck. To make matters worse, Suwako was about to revert back to her old personality, and Sanae was being taken over by the blood of an evil goddess that had been coursing through her veins. Things were looking very grim to Kanako, and at worst she predicted that there would be a repeat of the great war that she and Suwako waged so very long ago.<p>

But Kanako had only been able to reach Suwako last time by nearly killing the frog goddess's daughter, Akane Moriya. Then Suwako had managed to pacify Akane in a manner much like how Kanako quieted Suwako, and that girl was the ancestor of Sanae. Did that mean Kanako would have to hurt Sanae to reach Suwako again? If so, then the enemy had won now. Kanako would never be able to harm Sanae, even if she permanently gave in to her Moriya blood. Was that Suwako's plan all along? No…for all the evil in Suwako, planning wasn't exactly her strong suit. She'd left that to her descendants. Sadly, that would also encompass Sanae.

_KNOCK! KNOCK KNOCK!_

Perfect. "In here," Kanako shouted. It seemed that luck was on Kanako's side for once. Or maybe not…this visitor to the shrine wasn't exactly Kanako's favorite. "The Hakurei miko. What brings you to this-"

_SLAP!_

"…"

"My shrine," Reimu said. "What happened to it?"

"What?"

"Don't play stupid, Kanako! _You_ leveled it, Sanae said so herself!"

"Sanae said it, did she?" Still more than a bit shocked that a shrine maiden had the nerve to slap a goddess right across the face, Kanako asked "And you didn't care to notice that I'm rather imprisoned in here? If it were me who had leveled it, it would be a call for help, but I have reason to believe that it was Sanae who destroyed your shrine."

"No way. Sanae's too kind to destroy the shrine. You, on the other hand, are always telling me off about how I'm far from a proper miko."

"And you also didn't notice that neither Sanae nor Suwako is here? Get me out of these vines and I'll tell you everything. We have an incident on our hands."

"If you're lying to me, a slap will be the least of your worries."

"Curb your tongue, miko."

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><p>"That outfit was meant for you, Sanae." Suwako applauded Sanae's new look from the roof of the recently-built-out-of-stone Moriya Shrine. The Moriya miko's new outfit was built out of materials found in nature, if only for the sake of convenience, but also because it rather reflected the powers and nature of the goddess she worked for. The heavy use of black also reflected Suwako rather well. In reality, the outfit looked like a perfect replica of her old outfit, only with new colors. Now, instead of white and blue, Sanae donned an outfit of black and a bright green that matched her hair excellently. "You know, my daughter wore the exact same outfit. Well, not the <em>exact<em> same one, mind you, but just one that looked exactly like that. Actually, come to think of it…" Suwako hopped down from the roof, and took a closer look at Sanae now that she was in this new outfit. "Well, fry my legs and call them dinner! You're the spitting image of Akane Moriya, my daughter and your ancestor!"

"Really, now?"

"I wonder if you'll be as powerful as Akane as well…if so, all of Gensokyo will be drooling at our heels!" Suwako turned around and pointed out in the distance with bursting enthusiasm. "Go, miko! Tell them that the goddesses Sanae and Suwako demand worship and that to the unbelievers, the Hakurei Shrine was only the beginning!"

"How did you know about that shrine being leveled?"

"As an earth goddess, very few things escape my vision. Go spread the faith, Sanae!"

"Right away!" And off Sanae ran, more than eager to start getting some worship and faith of her own. In the past, not many people put their faith in her aside from Suwako and Kanako. Whether Kanako's faith was gone or not would soon be irrelevant, though; surely Suwako was right about having all of Gensokyo drooling at their heels, whatever that meant.

"Yep, the spitting image of Akane. Perhaps one could even say she's a resurrection of the little lunatic…"

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><p>"And you need my help…<em>because<em>?"

"Because for all the power one has, a goddess is powerless without her shrine. If Suwako plans on gathering faith, she would build her own shrine and destroy any and all competition."

"Then why isn't this one destroyed, too?"

"She always did love a challenge…"

"And there is a new sign out front."

"New sign?"

"It says 'Yasaka Shrine' in big letters. Then why destroy my shrine and the Myouren Temple, and just about any other religious establishment in Gensokyo, and not bother to destroy this one? I know she loves a challenge, believe me, but why would Suwako do that?" Reimu knew firsthand what Suwako could get like in the face of a challenge.

"…Ah, I see. She _knew_ you would come here."

"Hm?"

"Any successful goddess has three aspects. Faith, a shrine, and a miko. Since you're the only miko in Gensokyo aside from Sanae who has run off, she expects you to aid me, and Suwako will get a rematch against both of us at the same time. You for defeating her in a danmaku battle, and me for a war her and I waged a very long time ago; the war that granted me this shrine if you recall."

"No way, I'm not helping!"

"You have no choice."

"My shrine is destroyed. _My_ top priority is fixing _my_ shrine." With that, Reimu got up to her feet, and began walking toward the door.

"Sit down!" The power and command in Kanako's voice was obvious and great. Almost as though there were enough power and command in her voice to control the entire world at once. "You aren't going anywhere, Reimu. You need my help, and I need yours. For the time being, you'll have to become my shrine maiden and help me fight Suwako and, if need be, Sanae."

"And what if I say no?"

"Then your shrine may easily be just the beginning. Imagine if not just your shrine, not every building in Gensokyo, but _Gensokyo itself_ were to fall apart. With a wind priestess-turned-goddess and an earth goddess, it's safe to say that absolutely nowhere is safe from their combined strength if they get enough faith."

"And?"

"Were you not listening to the same conversation? This is a serious threat to Gensokyo! Not some youkai stirring up trouble because she's bored, not some mysterious building showing up out of nowhere, but an honest-to-me threat to the safety and possibly the very existence of Gensokyo as we know it!"

"I'll resolve it myself." And with this, the Hakurei miko got up and turned to leave.

"I hate using violence, but…" With all her godly strength, Kanako delivered one massive punch to Reimu's back, knocking her out cold. She needed some way to ensure that Reimu would help…

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><p>"I've found worshippers," Sanae said happily. Behind her were said worshippers. Among them were mostly youkai. One wore a black dress and had a red ribbon in her blonde hair, and one had black hair and two different-looking wings that looked more like six tails. Also among them were a doll with a black and red dress, a spider youkai with short blonde hair, and one particularly terrifying addition to the crew. A green-haired youkai with red eyes who wore a white shirt with a yellow ribbon under a red plaid vest, as well as a skirt to match.<p>

"Good to see you've pretty much gathered up an entire cult dedicated to us," Suwako said, sounding just as pleased as Sanae. "Yes…these people will do just fine. I'm proud of you Sanae; I've never been able to gather this many worshippers in a single day." There sure were a lot of youkai other than those mentioned; the lower-class youkai who didn't have any notable features. Not to mention that some of these people were among the biggest names in Gensokyo. "Come on in the shrine, ladies. Make yourselves at home; worshippers get their own rooms beneath the shrine." This would be just one of many benefits to worshipping Suwako and Sanae, others including _not_ having hundreds of curses thrown upon you and everybody you know.

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><p>"I'm glad to see you tengu are still faithful to me," Kanako said. "Please stay updated on this new Moriya Shrine; I need to know <em>everything<em>. But…please be careful. I'm not sure how Suwako or Sanae will react to having tengu near the shrine, especially since they could easily figure out that since none of you switched to their shrine, you're all still faithful to me. Please give the kappa the same warning on your way."

"Yes, Kanako!" And off the reporter flew! This would make the front page of every newspaper the tengu published; Aya would see to it personally! Whether that was good or not depended on public reactions. This would either be a media rescue or a complete disaster…

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><p><strong>I think Aya might end up playing an important part here. Also, this is my only fanfic where Reimu is anything more than just a cameo character! The miko population of Gensokyo seems to be getting very arrogant in this chapter. I guess that's why it's called going mad with power.<strong>

**Oh, that reminds me for some reason. If anybody finds a neat Touhou wallpaper, please link me to it! I'm trying to get one wallpaper each of every character in Touhou (y'know, minus ones that are always together, like the Prismriver sisters) and I'm getting close to my goal! I mostly need PC-98 characters at this point, so keep an eye open**


	3. Chapter 3: Spreading the Faith

**Alright, for those who truly enjoy my works (that especially includes you, Azure) I have a slight update.**

**So I was talking with Azure (who is probably my greatest source for advice and ideas) about some possible fanfics, one of which involved a particular karakasa that we all love for her moe. It was originally going to talk about her past as an umbrella, but it turned out becoming a fanfic detailing an attempt at revenge against Sanae, with some very unexpected turns. I don't think an umbrella is necessarily a good center for a story, especially one that was left there forever. Anyway, keep an eye open for a new fanfic starring Kogasa, named after her theme song :D**

**Right, time to get back to THIS fanfic. Watch and enjoy as our little cult does what they do best.**

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><p>"Let's see, Sanae aside, how about…you four?" No goddess was complete without some disciples, and five was a good starting number. "Yes, you four will do. So it's Sanae, Yuka, Rumia, Yamame, and Nue. Nice to see we have a promising lineup. Now everybody start spreading some faith!"<p>

"We need some kind of hook," Sanae said. "Something to _make_ them worship us. Like a catastrophe, or something."

"Good idea. Let's see, for a hook, how about…" Suwako took her hat off, and pointed the bottom of it to the outside. "This?" Out flew a massive black cloud, from which countless white snakes flew out as they flew toward and into the ground. "Controlling a scourge god always has perks. Plus, anybody who turns any of you down, each of you are able to do something to further destroy their lives. For example, Yamame here could give them some horrible disease, or Rumia could make them think they're blind by covering their eyes in complete darkness. Whatever you four do, Sanae can fix it with a miracle, and _poof_, we have faith."

"It certainly sounds entertaining," Yuka said to the idea. "Just keep those snakes of yours away from my flowers."

"Even gods know better than to trifle with the heart of Gensokyo's terror, Yuka. Now all of you, quit lollygagging and start raking in that faith!" As Suwako's five disciples started leaving the shrine, the goddess shouted after them "And stay away from Youkai Mountain! I'll handle them personally!" It was good to be back in the business of being an evil goddess. How she'd missed the daily sacrifices of unbelievers (and the occasional believer) and not figured to do anything about it before today was beyond her. Perhaps those seals that used to be in place made her think she was content with the lifestyle she had been living. How strange…

* * *

><p>"Nue!" Where on earth had that youkai run off to now? With the Myouren Temple leveled, most of Byakuren's followers started either dispersing like Nue had, or helping her rebuild the temple with increased vigor and faith. Although, aside from Nue, everybody seemed to still be present. Still, they needed her; she was part of the group. "I hope she's okay…"<p>

"Byakuren," a tiny, tiny clever commander called out. "We found her! Me and the mice found Nue!"

"Good job, Nazrin. Where is she?"

"She was just passing the Scarlet Devil Mansion."

"What on earth would she be doing there?"

"I'm afraid I don't know. As big as that mansion is, the maids there are very dutiful so I can't get any mice on the inside."

* * *

><p>"Lady Remilia!"<p>

"Mmfmmgm!"

Quickly untying the Scarlet Devil, Sakuya asked "Lady Remilia, what-"

"Stop!" A small hand quickly grabbed Sakuya's, and said "She's an imposter."

"Lady…Remilia?"

"Yes. I caught this fake me going around, trying to pretend to be me! I don't want to kick her out of the building, though…what should we do with the imposter?"

"I'm not sure." Re-tying the near-untied knots that bound the limbs and mouth of the supposed imposter, Sakuya got back up to her feet. "What do you think?"

"Let's put her in the basement. I'm sure Flandre would kill for a new toy right about now."

"_MMM!_"

"Shut it, faker! I'll do the deed personally, you can go back to what you were doing now."

"Yes, Lady Remilia." And with that, in the blink of an eye, the perfect and elegant maid of the Scarlet Devil Mansion was gone.

"Now for you," the lady of the mansion said, her blue hair slowly reverting to its original black. "You had me worried for a second there." For a brief second, Nue revealed her true face so that she could mockingly smile at Remilia, only to once again assume the identity of the Scarlet Devil. "Alright, let's get you down to the basement, you imposter."

"Mm-mm!"

"If you'd just agreed to pray to Suwako and Sanae, we wouldn't have to go through all this. Now I have to force religion on everybody here, then go down to that basement to see if you've changed your mind. You're making my agenda much more difficult than it should be, Remilia."

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><p>"Not <em>you<em> again!" Trying to wriggle free from the spider web she'd not seen, Wriggle said "Let me out of this web, Yamame!"

"On _one_ condition."

"Oh great, not one of your conditions. Well, what waste of time do I need to undergo today?"

"You just need to devote yourself and your faith to the new Moriya Shrine. We have a nice handful of worshippers already, and I believe you know one such worshipper."

"Cirno?"

"No, but feel free to invite your friends, too."

"Is it…Rumia?"

"Oh, I forgot she was with us, too! Yes, Rumia is one of the worshippers, but I'm referring to somebody else. They're not in that little gang of yours."

"Really, now? I know that no other insects became youkai recently, so…"

"Think, Wriggle!" Shoving the firefly's body deeper into the web, Yamame asked "Why is it that you hate me trapping you like this?"

"Because it makes me think of…oh, no. Not _her_!" Now Wriggle went from simply twisting and turning to an all-out struggle to get out of the web. Rumia was her friend, so Wriggle was fine with her worshipping at the Moriya Shrine. She wasn't really fond of Yamame, so she didn't really care. But for _her_ to worship at that shrine! Just what kinds of goddesses were at the Moriya Shrine to get _her_ faith? "Let me out of this web! Now! Please!"

"Not until you swear your faith to the Moriya Shrine. I'm sure if you declined, Yuka would be _very_ upset."

"What she doesn't know can't hurt her!"

From around the corner stepped Yuka herself, asking "It can't hurt me, Wriggle?"

"Y-Y…Yuka…"

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><p>"Are you sure these three are fit to worship here?" Suwako looked at the trio of would-be worshippers that Rumia had brought. "I mean, this green-haired fairy aside, they look capable, but this one here…" Hopping down from her spot, Suwako approached the fairy in question. "What's your name?"<p>

"D…Daiyousei."

"Well, Daiyousei, you're aware that your friend Rumia is a worshipper at my shrine, yes?"

"W-Well, I am, yes. Why?"

"I'm going to give you two options. Option one is that you worship here alongside Rumia. Option two is where you're the first non-believer we sacrifice."

"Don't threaten Daiyousei like that," the other fairy shouted.

"Oh, forgot about you…_Cirno_." Suwako knew very well who Cirno was. She didn't like the ice fairy, not a bit. "I don't think we've been properly acquainted before today. My name is Suwako Moriya, and I am about to become one of the most powerful, if not _the_ most powerful goddess in Gensokyo. I've seen what you're doing to all those frogs out there."

"Ha! I put frogs like them on my breakfast!"

Letting out a tongue that was far longer than any tongue had the right to be, Suwako said "I don't approve." Now it was time for a very literal tongue-lashing…

* * *

><p>"Sur-AH, my eye!"<p>

"I've found you, karakasa…"

"…Not you!" Kogasa started flying in the other direction, fast. She hadn't recognized Sanae because of the new outfit, no matter how much of a dead giveaway her long green hair was. Now she'd tried to surprise the one person she made a serious effort at avoiding, not to mention that not only did she fail, but now that one person was chasing her down like a rabid dog. "Please, leave me alone, just for one day!"

"Come back, Kogasa," Sanae shouted evilly. "I just want to…_TALK!_" Her statement was punctuated by her tackling Kogasa right out of the sky, with both of them now falling rapidly toward the ground. "Ha-ha, I caught you!" Sure, she was supposed to be gathering worshippers, but a first sacrifice was more important to her than any number of worshippers, especially if it was Kogasa.

Suwako was right. This "evil goddess" business was very pleasing. As Sanae began carrying a struggling Kogasa back to the new Moriya Shrine, she couldn't help but wonder if Suwako had an idea of where to store sacrifices…

* * *

><p>"I'm…-cough cough- sorry," Cirno weakly said, her face turning a dark shade of blue. While her feet swung around wildly in the air, her hands tried to loosen the grip that an unnaturally long tongue had on her neck. "I had…-cough- no idea."<p>

Suwako simply stared into the ice fairy's eyes. Then, suddenly, her tongue flew back into her mouth, dropping Cirno on the floor, gasping for air. "I forgive you," Suwako said.

"Really?"

"Sure." Holding out a hand, she said "I'll even give you special treatment here. You'll get your own room, just come with me." Suwako's face told tales of honesty, but her smile couldn't be more evil if she tried. Cirno would indeed get her own room beneath the shrine, and she would certainly get special treatment. However, the term "special treatment" doesn't always mean that one will be treated kindly.

The truth of it was that the special treatment the frog goddess imagined was locking her beneath the shrine until the time came to sacrifice her. This was the fun in sacrificing fairies and youkai; they always came back, so they could always be sacrificed.

Though, with two goddesses, there would have to be two sacrifices a day. Standing before Suwako was one sacrifice, one disciple, one recently-instated worshipper, and one green-haired fairy who had seemed to have forgotten how to control her bladder. "Rumia, would you kindly show these two to their new rooms?"

"Right away, Lady Suwako," the youkai of darkness replied.

"We'll clean up after your green-haired friend's mess later." For now, it was time to really get into the business of being an evil goddess. Today would be a day of preparation.

Tomorrow will be special. Yesterday was not.

* * *

><p><strong>Never before has such a pleasant song's title seemed so dreadfully evil. In a good way, mind you.<strong>

**So, now we have an increasing amount of faith, not to mention Wriggle has been forced to worship Suwako. You know what that means? They have eyes everywhere!**

**So now we have a large handful of worshippers, some opposition, three sacrifices, two goddesses, and a partridge in a pear tree.**

**What the hell is a partridge, anyway? Some kind of bird if I remember correctly...**

**I wonder if that partridge would get along with Mystia?**


	4. Chapter 4: Preparations Complete!

** This one seems to have been longer in the works than other chapters. But that's okay, because come the next chapter, things will really heat up. I'm talking global catastrophes! ^_^ One of the reasons I love this fanfic is because I'll get to be as destructive as I want and avoid using Flandre.**

* * *

><p>Sanae looked at the little staircase just outside of the Moriya Shrine's building. From the looks of things, it led to something beneath the shrine. Well, Suwako said that this was where sacrifices went, so down the stairs Kogasa got thrown. Once the miko-turned-goddess got to the bottom as well, she opened the door to find that the room already had two occupants. It was just one large room, absolutely nothing filling it other than air and these two. Now was time to add one more to that number. Into the room Kogasa was forced, with Sanae shutting the door soon afterward. Three sacrifices would probably not last long. They needed more…<p>

* * *

><p>"That fast?" Kanako could already feel it; a wave of faith taking over the Moriya Shrine. Whatever they were doing over there, they were sadly doing a good job at it. "Reimu," she said to the miko. "You can feel it too, right?"<p>

"Hm?"

"This wave of faith coming over the Moriya Shrine. …Oh, what am I saying? Your shrine doesn't get worshippers, so you wouldn't know what I'm talking about."

"Hey, that's my shrine you're talking about! And who's going to rebuild it?"

"I'll send some of the tengu," Kanako said. "And I'm glad you agreed to help."

"I didn't _agree_ to anything. You _forced_ me to help otherwise I'd be locked in Suwako's old closet, remember?" Reimu didn't really like Kanako's methods, though admittedly, she would have done the same if she wanted information. "I know some people who would probably be more than willing to help."

"Go find them. I need to speak to a young lady about a bird…" Kanako couldn't help but chuckle a bit. It really had been too long since she got to make war preparations. And here, in Gensokyo, where many people of unimaginable power existed, this would easily be the greatest religious war to strike any world. Though, the reasoning within her couldn't help but wonder at the cost in lives. Sure, youkai came back after death, but could the same be said of humans? That was why Reimu had invented the spell card system, wasn't it? Kanako's goal was to win this, and still keep both Sanae _and_ Reimu alive. If she let Reimu die, Gensokyo would collapse no matter which side won, whereas she would never forgive herself if Sanae died. This would be difficult indeed…

* * *

><p>"A little to the left," Suwako said. No evil goddess was complete without a sacrificial altar, which even made sacrifices much more convenient…and cleaner. However, when it came to placement of such things, Suwako was hopelessly OCD, and she needed it to be perfectly in the center of the hall, against the wall, across from the front door. "Alright, Yuka, move it about a millimeter to the right…perfect!" Suwako's beaming smile spread across her face now that the altar was in place. To best summarize what it looked like in basic frame, one could easily imagine what would happen if a table and a bathtub had a one-night stand and was placed in a round tub. Then there were the carvings. Such intricate carvings…<p>

Frogs and snakes alike were carved all over the altar's outside, with several grooves on the inside of the altar where the sacrifice was placed. Those grooves led into the lower tub of the altar. Such a wonderful altar that Suwako worked so hard on…

"Sacrifices begin tomorrow," she declared. "We'll be giving a sacrifice once every twelve hours, at seven o' clock. Sanae gets the A.M. sacrifices, and I the P.M. Everybody following me?"

Everybody else in the shrine; all of the believers, nodded. As did Sanae herself. "Do we personally pick out our sacrifice?"

"Well, no. Here's how it works. I had to do some serious magical work on that altar. The amount of blood the sacrifice sheds will be based on how pleased we are with the sacrifices. If they don't bleed at all, just about anybody can bet their soul that whoever was getting the sacrifice, they weren't pleased at all. Whereas if the tub fills up all the way, it's the perfect sacrifice." Looking at the worshippers and disciples alike, Suwako said "Oh, right, you can all go home now. Be back here tomorrow by seven, got it?"

Sanae watched everybody disperse, from the weaker youkai like Mystia Lorelei to some of Gensokyo's most feared beings like Yuka Kazami. "So," she asked once everybody else was gone. "What are we getting from these sacrifices, aside from getting to see somebody die?"

"The corpses deteriorate, and become a mist. That's going to be absorbed into the body of whichever goddess is sitting on that throne above the altar. The mist increases the power of whoever absorbs it, enough so that if you were to absorb just ten people's worth, you would be twice as powerful as you would normally be."

"Fascinating…"

"You bet it is. I used to have an altar just like this, and thanks to it, I was nearly undefeatable as a goddess! Nothing increases faith like a nice sacrifice!"

"But if you were so powerful, how did Kanako beat you alone?"

"Oh, my dear, did she tell you she fought me _alone_?"

* * *

><p>"…I was the one who said she had to be stopped," Kanako said, looking down at roughly where the Moriya Shrine rested alongside Reimu. "Myself, Suwako, and Sanae aside, Gensokyo doesn't have many real gods, but the human world has more gods than anybody can count. Since I was the only one that had an actual army, it was my responsibility to deal with Suwako's followers."<p>

"And Suwako herself?"

"There were five of us. Myself, a life god, one goddess of the ocean, and a fire god, plus a death god. We all fought long and hard, especially those life and death twins…"

"What happened?"

"Even with five of us and an army of my own, we were getting destroyed. Suwako had been picking us off like flies, and even with the powers of life and death, we were no match for her. It was only by the greatest of miracles that I managed to turn the fight around for the few seconds needed to win. My last miko before taking over the Moriya Shrine; bold and tough as she was, stepped in and plunged a knife into Suwako's back. It only distracted her for a second, but…"

"But?"

"…she died." Kanako's eyes began welling up with tears, as she continued "Suwako turned around and opened up the ground right beneath her feet. Nobody ever saw or heard from her again."

"Well, how did you win?"

"Oh, right." Wiping the would-be tears from her eyes, Kanako said "Suwako's back was turned, so I grabbed her and flew up into the sky. Since the earth was too far down to have any usefulness, Suwako was forced to fight me in the sky. Being a sky goddess, I was able to turn things around quickly, but she still put up a tough fight." It was because of the losses of that war that Kanako had the motherly affection she did for Sanae. Those losses…

* * *

><p><em>"Damn you!" Suwako had finally lost the ability to fight. "Well, go on! Finish it. This won't go forgiven, I can promise you that much! My worshippers will find you, and they'll kill you and all of your descendants!"<em>

_ "I have no descendants to speak of." Gripping Suwako by the collar of her shirt, she said "It would be a disgrace to my miko's memory to kill you. She never did like death, which is the only reason she didn't run that knife through your spine. Instead, I'm relinquishing all control and faith of your shrine. You will remain in that shrine with me, and your daughter will become my new miko." She would do this for the memory of the last Yasaka miko. Shrine maiden…friend…Harumi Yasaka…_

* * *

><p>"Are you alright?"<p>

"What? Oh, I'm fine."

"Good. We've got company." Reimu pointed behind the two, to the pink-haired youkai of short stature and polite demeanor.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Satori said. "But if this war is going to be as bad as you think it is, this is no time to linger on the past, I'm afraid."

"Your timing couldn't be better," Kanako said. "I was actually preparing to go see you."

"All of my pets were urging me to see you, so I had Koishi show me the way here. And to answer all of your questions, in order, yes, yes, no, and not only would there be consequences, but you can expect them to be severe."

"Can somebody elaborate," Reimu asked. "I'm not a mind-reader."

"Oh, I apologize," Satori said kindly. "Kanako wanted to know if I would help, which I will. I will have all my pets support this cause and put their faith in this shrine, including Okuu, but I'm not letting any of them go into actual battle. And if any of my pets meet misfortune because of this, Kanako will easily be able to expect severe consequences. However, Reimu, I recommend you go talk to those people you were meaning to find; the saint and her comrades. Although, I don't believe they'll be willing to help."

"And why is that?"

"Because I passed them on the way here. The leader was telling herself that under no circumstances were they to get involved, and the others were saying the same thing…minus the jiang shi. Trying to read her mind was…well, difficult." So no help from the Taoists. That didn't mean the Myouren Temple was out of the question, though, as Satori could tell from Reimu's thoughts. "Go ask Byakuren like you're thinking you should. Go on, now, Kanako and I have sensitive matters to discuss. Oh, and would you kindly bring Koishi along? I don't like her going out alone and she lacks the patience to remain here for the entire discussion."

"I suppose."

* * *

><p>"Let's think," Suwako said. It was easy to say that Suwako and Sanae were a very intimidating duo as they were, but there were probably still things the Yasaka Shrine could use against them that could turn the tables. "What does Kanako have that we don't?"<p>

"That hell raven?"

"She's an idiot," Suwako said. "I can easily persuade her to join us, as a matter of fact. Thank you for the idea, but I know we're missing something. What on earth was it?"

"Is it…Hisou Tensoku?"

"No, that's our property. If Kanako tried to take it, I would know; I have some very devoted people working down there for me."

"But doesn't it run on nuclear power? The nuclear facility is Kanako's, so we'd need some other source of power aside from nuclear fusion."

"Like a bird who controls such…but we'll only play that card if things become desperate. I don't want the fun to end _too_ soon." Suwako had replaced her old clothing with an outfit that followed the same pattern as Sanae's black and green outfit. Same appearance as her old outfit, but with different colors; black and red with a massive brown hat. "For now, we should continue adding the finishing touches to the shrine. After all, we want it to look as great as possible for tomorrow when the sacrifices start." And with those sacrifices came power. And with power, the ability to spread catastrophe across Gensokyo…

* * *

><p><strong>Just to note, Hisou Tensoku will appear later in the fanfic, but I'm not gonna say who will be piloting it. I will say that it will be a team of miko and goddess, though, so at least you know it can be one of two pairs. Global catastrophes, giant robots, semi-daily sacrifices…this fanfic seems to have just about everything :D<strong>


	5. Chapter 5: Apotheosis

**Hello again, readers! Guess what? My birthday was recently :D I'm no longer a minor.**

**I also bought Borderlands today, but cannot install it because MY computer has no internet, whereas the SHARED computer does, and since I'm more stubborn than a rock about my games, I refuse to install it on that computer. But enough about me, you're here to see magical girls wage war.**

* * *

><p>Sanae and Suwako stood outside the Moriya Shrine, staring at some trees not far from the shrine. "Why am I out here again," Sanae asked. "It's almost seven."<p>

"Exactly. This one time, we're going to break the rules and let you pick your own sacrifice. But first, I want you to see just how the comparison of power works." Suwako stepped behind Sanae, and said "I want you to unleash the strongest wind you can; try to blow those trees down."

"Alright…" Sanae focused. Kill the trees. Destroy the trees! Sanae's arms shot forward, and with them, a sudden gust of wind. The trees in question shook violently, and Sanae saw plenty of leaves get torn off the branches, but…no further damage. "That was all I could do."

"As expected," Suwako said. "Now then, let's get your sacrifice." Suwako tugged her miko lightly by the arm, and started making her way to the shrine's "dungeon" where the sacrifices remained. It could have been called the basement, but Suwako wasn't so fond of that idea, given that the official basement housed Suwako and Sanae themselves. So it was called the dungeon by the worshippers. Once the door opened, the two fairies inhabiting it alongside the unfortunate karakasa, plus a few other sacrifices Suwako had rounded up in the middle of the night, all cowered into the nearest corner. "Take your pick," the frog goddess said.

"Kogasa," Sanae said without skipping a heartbeat. "I choose Kogasa." Sanae stepped into the room, and grabbed Kogasa by the arm. Not a split second later did the karakasa start screaming hysterically.

Kogasa had heard what everybody was doing down here. She didn't want to be sacrificed! Much less to Sanae of all people! "Let me go," she shrieked. "I promise, I won't bother you anymore! I'll stop surprising people altogether and stop all that other youkai stuff, I swear, just let me go please!" No matter how much she begged, though; no matter how much she screamed and cried, Sanae's expression didn't make any changes that looked good for Kogasa. The second she could tell she was outside, Kogasa started screaming at the top of her lungs "Help! Somebody help me! Heeeeeelp! Please, any-mmfmgm!"

Suwako's hand quickly clamped itself over Kogasa's mouth, as the frog goddess said "Shut up already. The more you struggle, the longer it will take to sacrifice you. Just calm down and be a good little sacrifice, then you'll be dead and later you'll come back and have some time before you're brought back here."

"We're taking her again," Sanae asked.

"The biggest problem with sacrificing humans," Suwako said. "They never come back after they die. Youkai, on the other hand, that have been bathing in the magical energies of Gensokyo, are just about everywhere and they always come back after death. They're the perfect sacrifices! Back in the day, I tried to be conservative when sacrificing since I'd only be able to do it so many times before other gods decided something had to be done, but here, we can make sacrifices left and right and by the end of the day nobody knows any better besides the sacrifices themselves!" Yes, Gensokyo was definitely a world meant for evil goddesses.

Sanae opened up the door to the Moriya Shrine, to be greeted by all the worshippers. Tossing the karakasa into the midst, Sanae said "We have our first sacrifice" as she flew over the heads of everybody else, landing in the chair above the altar. Sanae watched with pleasure as the nearest worshippers picked Kogasa up by all her limbs while the karakasa herself continued to resist with increasing hysteria. "Quit squirming, Kogasa! I'm about to come down there and kill you on the spot just to get you to stop!" All that squirming was annoying Sanae, and evidently the believers carrying her to the altar weren't amused by it either; least of all Yuka Kazami.

As evidenced by the near-paralyzing punch the flower youkai delivered to Kogasa's stomach. "That shut her up," Yuka said happily.

"Well done. Now let's get on with this sacrifice."

"Of course." Into the sacrificial "tub" the unfortunate karakasa was placed, as Yuka grabbed a knife from a small rack next to the altar. The craftsmanship at hand here, both on the altar and the knife, amazed her. Especially since it was made fully from stone, metal, and the like. Of course, who else but Suwako Moriya would be able to accomplish this with just power alone? Yuka couldn't think of anybody, as she looked down at the sacrifice.

"Do it," Sanae said. "Kill her."

_STAB!_ Right through the heart of Kogasa Tatara as her lifeblood poured out from the wound. The altar caused the sacrifice to bleed more or less according to how satisfied the appropriate goddess was with her sacrifice, and judging by how Kogasa soon began bleeding from her eyes and mouth as well as her wound, Sanae was very pleased with what had just happened. The massive tub that made the bottom of the altar began filling with the karakasa's blood that flowed through the grooves of the altar as Kogasa couldn't do anything but watch.

* * *

><p>"I sense a great disturbance in the force," Kanako said.<p>

"What?"

"Oh, sorry." Damn those sci-fi movies Sanae was so obsessed with. Now Kanako was making references to them as well. "I'm sure even you can sense it. Somewhere, something just happened, and either Sanae or Suwako has become much more powerful."

"…I feel it," Reimu said grimly. "The only other time I've come across this level of power was in Remilia's basement, and I don't plan on going down there again."

"I've heard about what, or more specifically, who is down there. Let's hope she doesn't break free and side with Suwako. But Suwako, despite however much power she can ever attain, has one fatal weakness."

"Oh, yeah?" Looking over to the sky goddess she'd reluctantly agreed to work with, Reimu asked "What's her weakness?"

"She'll never attack without warning. She always gives three day's notice before actually getting serious. But here in Gensokyo, the magical energies are going to make her vastly more powerful. I fear that once the first warning is out, we'll only have those three days to defeat Suwako. Or else…" And with a wind goddess allying herself with Suwako, it would be even worse than back in the war. If only the final Yasaka miko were still here…

"Or else what?"

"I'd rather not say. Let's just hope that bridge isn't one we'll have to cross anytime soon, lest we drown in the river beneath. And speaking of rivers, I must see somebody of importance about an urgent matter involving a miko. Care to join me?"

"That depends on who you're seeing…"

* * *

><p>"I'm rarely visited by a goddess," Eiki said. "I trust Komachi wasn't <em>too<em> troublesome about ferrying you over here."

"Once the nature of my business was revealed, as well as the possible effects it would have on her work, she happily brought us here free of charge." Kanako had no time for small talk, though. This was important matter; nobody ever came to Higan just to enjoy the scenery, perhaps save Komachi.

"I take it that means death, and quite a bit of it. And why must you see me about this?"

"You judge the souls from the human world as well, correct?"

"No soul goes anywhere without my judgment, be they from this world or any other. Must you see a specific person?"

"Harumi Yasaka."

"Harumi Yasaka, Harumi Yasaka…ah, now I remember." Yes, she was a girl of a rather small stature; shorter than even Eiki. That girl had a burning passion for her goddess. "And may I ask what business you have with the deceased?"

"As someone in need of her aid, her shrine's goddess, and her mother, I require-"

"_MOTHER?_" If Reimu were drinking something, it would have flown out of her mouth at a mile a minute. If she were eating something, the same effect. "You mean…that miko is your _daughter_?" That explained Kanako's attachment to Sanae perfectly well now that Reimu looked at it that way. Kanako had said Harumi died in the war against Suwako. So, naturally, Kanako would end up treating any future miko at her shrine like a daughter as well. "Wow, what a crazy revelation."

"Yes, Reimu, she was my daughter. My _only_ child, actually. But I'm not here for a family reunion."

"Really," Eiki asked. "Then what brings you here?"

"If you recall, she died in a war between goddesses. I was one participating goddess, and the other-"

"So it was _you,_" Eiki yelled judgingly. And before long, Eiki was flying off the handle about how much trouble she'd been given during that war; having to judge all of those sacrifices. "_You_ were that evil goddess making all those sacrifices! I condemn you as guilty! Guilty, I say! _GUILTY!_"

"I was the _other_ participating goddess," Kanako said calmly.

"…oh." Regaining her composure quickly, Eiki asked "Then why do you need Harumi Yasaka's aid?"  
>"Because that evil goddess is doing evil goddess things again, and another such war is bound to follow. Reimu here is plenty powerful on her own, but I'd like somebody else who actually understands what we're up against."<p>

"…well, I'm afraid I can't help you. I judged that girl so very long ago that I'm not even sure where she is."

"You don't keep records? I'm fairly certain all Yama keep records of the judgments they make. Unless you've been faltering in your duties."

"Eh-heh, well it's not that I've been slacking off, per se…"

"Oh my," Kanako said in a manner that reminded Reimu a bit too much of Yukari. "You _have_ been slacking off, haven't you? Oh dear, if the other Yama were to hear about this-"

"Okay, enough! Fine, I'll send Komachi out to find her. And let's hope you win this war without unnecessary bloodshed."

* * *

><p>Suwako had brought Sanae out to those same trees again. Only this time, when Sanae had tried to blow them over, she managed to tear them out of the ground. So this was the power of a goddess? Before, she couldn't do too much without Kanako's support, but now she could probably stand against Kanako one against one and probably even win. "This power…it's amazing!"<p>

"And there's more to come. Oh-ho, _much_ more to come, Sanae." Looking out to the rest of Gensokyo, Suwako quietly said "The earth will shake, the skies will blacken, heaven itself will tear apart, and all of Gensokyo will crumble…"

"Suwako, what are you saying?"

"A prophecy. Go, Sanae, and spread it. Tell all the worshippers to do the same. Tell them that once Gensokyo crumbles, you and I will create a new Gensokyo, and only those we deem worthy will be spared from the inevitable apocalypse."

"And the ones that are worthy? Who are they?"

"Anybody willing to believe in us." And with her question answered, Sanae entered the shrine. Not much later did Suwako observe happily as her slowly increasing number of worshippers flew off to spread the message. There were people joining from all over Gensokyo, and while most of them were lower-level youkai or mere humans, there were some notable names among them. One such was a name that, if Suwako remembered right, was certainly not unheard of in solving incidents before the Moriya Shrine appeared. Yes, that person, with the powers of time, blinded by Nue's trickery. Suwako had most certainly chosen well when she picked Nue to be one of her disciples…

* * *

><p>"How long do we have," Harumi asked.<p>

"I'm not sure," Kanako said. "But you and I both know the warning signs." First, an earthquake. The blackening of the skies (which Kanako could never figure out how Suwako managed to do it before) afterwards, followed the next day by catastrophic storms. And then…

* * *

><p>"And then there will be none," the seemingly young voice echoed off the basement walls.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>I liked that finishing touch. It gives you an idea of whose face to expect in the future, eh? As for Nue impersonating Remilia, I'd realized she was the only disciple who hadn't brought any worshippers in, so I figured I would mention that person with the time powers (I know her name, don't worry) just to remind you that Nue was a disciple too.<strong>

**I can only imagine the fight her and Murasa would get in, not just over Byakuren's attention, but because of their now-differing religion. Ironically, Murasa's theme was playing as I wrote that part down.**

**Oh, feel free to propose certain images for Harumi Yasaka's appearance! I'll be searching as well, but I'd like to see how you're imagining Kanako's daughter!**


	6. Chapter 6: So Nano Ka?

**Arright, I've been kinda lazy recently, but decided to update this fanfic. Since I'm starting a new one too (twelve fics? …shit, I need a life) I figured it was a good chance to just get this chapter online. No clever line to end this one, though. Just two of the most striking words ever spoken by a member of Team Nineball.**

* * *

><p>Komachi aside, two souls were ferried over to Higan. Now, the river guide once again not being counted, the boat was returning to Gensokyo with three people in tow; one sky goddess and two shrine maidens. One was none other than Reimu Hakurei, and the other was Harumi Yasaka; the last Yasaka miko and Kanako's only child. Harumi's hair was about as long as Sanae's if not a bit longer, and was solid black. The miko shared her goddess of a mother's red eyes, and wore a white shirt with large sleeves as most shrine maidens would. Also making up her attire was a red hakama and bandages she wore on her forehead even when not injured, for reasons unknown. "So," the Yasaka miko asked. "What's this Gensokyo like?"<p>

* * *

><p>"You never fail to amaze me, Nue." Suwako had received two things she very much liked. One was a cat she'd found wandering around the shrine. The other was news from Nue that she'd managed to get the entire Scarlet Devil Mansion to worship the goddesses residing in the Moriya Shrine. Were it not for the fact that faith was 100% needed for any goddess, Suwako wouldn't have been sure which one she liked more; the news or the cat. "And any news from the other disciples?"<p>

"Actually, no. In fact, Rumia hasn't been seen anywhere…"

"Nowhere at all?" Suwako took a sip of what could have been taken to be some kind of juice, but was in fact the blood of the karakasa who was sacrificed not long ago. It had far more uses than just anointing people; it also made a wonderful drink.

"I'm afraid not. And even worse, those two fairy sacrifices managed to escape." Next thing Nue knew, her face was covered in blood that shot out of Suwako's mouth.

"_They're gone?_"

"I hate to deliver this news, but yes. Cirno and Daiyousei escaped, and I already have a suspect as to who's responsible."

"So do I…" Suwako leapt to her feet, bolted out the door, and dove into the ground, the cat still in her arms the whole time. Suwako had a _very_ good idea of who was guilty of letting those two out…

* * *

><p>"Run, now, and don't ever let that maniac or anybody worshipping her find you!" The girl kept pushing Cirno and Daiyousei forward. She would rather die than see her friends sacrificed! However, some things are best left unsaid. "I'd rather die than have to watch one of you two get sacrificed."<p>

"Is that so?"

"Rumia!" But the second Mystia turned around, she found herself strangled by a hand that most certainly didn't belong to Rumia. In the other arm was resting a black cat.

"Nope. Suwako. Now then, what do you think you're doing, letting my sacrifices free?"

"I'd rather…die," Mystia said between deep breaths.

"Is that how it is?" Looking at Cirno and Daiyousei who seemed more interested in watching Mystia's brave move than running away, Suwako said "So you would rather die than see your friends sacrificed?"

"…yes!"

"Alright then." Suwako slammed the night sparrow into the ground, and parked one of her feet on Mystia's chest. "Since worshippers are still worshippers, I'll give you a choice, right here and now. Option A is where you come back to the shrine, put these two back where they belong, and we continue life like this never even happened."

"What's Option B?"

"_You're _tonight's sacrifice instead of Cirno." A wicked grin cracked across Suwako's face at the sight of how dreadfully pale Mystia's expression went at the choices presented to her. And then she looked back at the fairies who were probably about to fly away, and opened small holes in the ground right at their feet, closing those holes immediately afterward, effectively locking them to the ground. "You'd better choose quickly." Then the two fairies began slowly sinking into the ground. "If you take too long, your friends will end up underground. Then they're at my mercy, and I'll sacrifice you for making me waste my time. So who will it be? You, or them?"

If a person's mind could be broken, Mystia's just had been broken. She loved her friends with all her heart, but was she really willing to die on that altar for their sake? Sure, youkai always came back, but if the way Suwako and Sanae talked to each other after the sacrifice earlier that morning was any indicator, being sacrificed once meant you would always be a sacrifice if you could come back from the dead. Was Mystia willing to put herself through that time and again just for them?

And what about money? It wouldn't be long before the rest of Team Nineball ran out of money without Mystia around, even if half of its other members were worshipping at the Moriya Shrine. That other half would surely still be taken in as sacrifices someday, and when Mystia turned her head to Cirno and Daiyousei to try and find an answer, all she found was fear.

"Better hurry up," Suwako said. "Your friends seem to be underground up to their shoulders. How much longer do you think it'll be before time runs out?"

"Please," Mystia begged. "There has to be another way. I'll do anything, I swear!"

"There won't be another way. I never really did trust pink-haired individuals, or birds for that matter. You have to choose very soon; don't think for a second I won't stand on my word."

* * *

><p>"I know one person who could stop them," Reimu said, once again at that point on Youkai Mountain, near the Yasaka Shrine overlooking most of Gensokyo. "I know <em>one<em> person."

"Great," Kanako said. "You and Harumi can go find this person. May I ask who it is?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Reimu said wily. But the look of uncertainty was clear on her face, much like she couldn't trust whoever this person was. "Let's go tell Harumi, shall we?"

"Oh, yes."

* * *

><p>"That's a name I haven't heard in a long time, ze." Marisa was surprised to have not one, but two shrine maidens at her front door. "Come on in. I hate to tell you that I haven't seen her. In fact, last time I even heard that name was when we went to Makai and first met Alice, ze."<p>

"Great. Well, could you direct us to somebody who would know," Reimu asked.

"And why should I? Let's face it, you two aren't exactly on friendly terms, ze. How do I know you're not just going to try and fight her?"

"We'd appreciate it," Harumi said. "And I'm sure all of Gensokyo would. I don't think you understand just what we're up against here. If Suwako becomes powerful enough, not even this mystery woman we're looking for will be able to stop her. Not her, not you, not Reimu, not even Kanako herself."

"…Yuka would know more, ze. You'd have to talk to her."

* * *

><p>"Oh, my, I haven't heard that name in some time," Yuka said. "And may I ask why you're looking for Mima?"<p>

"To defeat Suwako," Reimu said plainly.

"…I'm afraid I can't help you. Last I even saw of her was that Makai incident, and ever since then it's been like she doesn't even exist. I wish I could help you, but I simply don't know anything you can use."

"Just how sure are you?"

"As certain as I am that you should leave if you insist on being so disrespectful in my own mansion."

"…" Reimu wasn't willing to get into a fight with Yuka Kazami. Most youkai she could handle on her own; even Yukari was manageable. But Yuka…no way was Reimu going to mess with the Ultimate Sadistic Creature. Even she knew better. "I see you're point, and will take my leave now."

"Thank you, and do feel free to come back sometime."

* * *

><p>"I'm proud of you," Suwako said, looking out to the setting sun. It was almost seven. "Most people wouldn't lie to Reimu's face, but you did a great job at keeping that ghost's location under wraps, Yuka."<p>

"Ah, but I truthfully don't know where she is, Lady Suwako."

"Really, now? Well, no matter; it's sacrifice time. Go grab me a sacrifice, would you?"

"Right away."

"Thank you." Suwako headed back into the Moriya Shrine. Tonight would be her first sacrifice, and it was certainly something Suwako looked forward to. Everybody in the shrine knew who she wanted dead right now, so anybody could say who the perfect sacrifice would be for tonight. And now that person would be sacrificed on the altar, and their power would become Suwako's. Just like how Sanae became more powerful with her sacrifice this morning…

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry to hear that you had no luck," Kanako said. "But what makes you so sure that this Mima can stop Suwako?"<p>

"I may not like her," Reimu replied. "But even I know that there's no questioning that she has power, and lots of it. Enough to make even Yuka Kazami feel weak. Although, I sealed away her full power last time I had to deal with her, and I don't know if I'm ready to lift those seals just yet."

"You'll need to think of something. Every time there's a sacrifice at the Moriya Temple, either Sanae or Suwako becomes much more powerful. By now, Sanae could probably make you look like a yukkuri in terms of power."

"Is that supposed to be an insult?"

"No, it's to help you understand just what we're facing. I can assure you, you've never seen this level of power; the level of a true goddess who will take lives to gain faith and power." That was a level of power even Kanako didn't possess, and it wasn't a level that she wanted to reach any time soon.

* * *

><p>"Hold it," Suwako said just moments before the night sparrow on the altar was killed. "I have a better idea, Yamame."<p>

"Really," the earth spider asked. "Is this sacrifice not good enough?"

"Oh, the sacrifice is a great choice, believe me. Instead of you killing her…give the knife to Rumia."

"M-Me?" The youkai of darkness froze for a second, and hesitated more than a little when Yamame handed her the knife. "But…Mystia's my friend. I-I couldn't possibly…"

"No?" Not leaving her seat above the altar, Suwako said "Rumia, what if I told you she was trying to smuggle away sacrifices?"

"Cirno and Daiyousei, probably."

"Correct. This bird took so long to decide who I should spare, that I just decided to take all of them as sacrifices. So I'll give you three options, right now. One; you kill Mystia, right here, right now. Two; you put her back in the cellar and sacrifice one of the fairies instead. Or three; _you_ are the sacrifice, and Mystia will be forced to kill you."

"…What? N-No, I couldn't hurt my friends like that!"

"Look deep inside. You know you want to. It's the basest instinct of every living being to kill, so kill dammit!"

And look inside Rumia did. Suwako was right; she had that desire to kill. Approaching the altar, Rumia wasn't sure if anybody else would really forgive her for this. But this was the chance to just give in to instinct, and just let go of everything!

_STAB!_

"R-Rumia…why?"

* * *

><p><strong>Is that so~<strong>

**Evil Rumia is something I don't see often, unless you count Evil Rumia and EX-Rumia as the same entity. I don't. EX-Rumia is always evil, whereas regular Rumia is not. EX-Rumia is damn hot on that note; I'd so tap that even if it was the last thing I would ever do.**

**And then when I was dead, I could try my chances with Yuyuko. I don't think she'd take me, though; I'm not much of a cook D:**


	7. Chapter 7: Reincarnation

**I actually finished this chapter the night before I saved the individual chapter as a document to upload. I set up to go on such a limb here that it's not even funny. The setting up is subtle, but if you know, you'll know.**

**On a totally unrelated note, I've been listening to the IOSYS remix of Eiki's theme nonstop since the day before yesterday when I found it.**

* * *

><p>Kanako's face turned pale and grim. Another sacrifice had been made, but there was something else. Something familiar…but it couldn't have been right.<p>

"What's wrong," Reimu asked. "It's because all of those gods were with you and she still single-handedly beat you all, isn't it? Suwako just got another sacrifice; even I noticed."

"Alone? Who ever said that she was alone?"

* * *

><p><em>Kanako and the gods that had allied themselves with her stared down the two…no, three goddesses. One doubled as a shrine maiden, and was the daughter of Suwako herself; Akane Moriya. The second was Suwako, and the third…the goddess of destruction. Not <em>_**a**__ goddess of destruction, __**the**__ goddess of destruction. Deres. One of the most feared of gods. Just what had Suwako said that she allied herself with the frog goddess?_

_ "Your fight ends here," Kanako said. "Akane, Suwako, you've lost. And even you, Deres."_

_ The goddess of destruction cackled wildly at the idea that she could actually lose in battle. Her power was incomparable; she could have destroyed the entire world right then if she really felt like it. "Is that so, Kanako?"_

* * *

><p>"As if," Reimu said. "Doesn't the name Flandre Scarlet say anything? I'm not believing in this Deres person."<p>

"She certainly exists," Harumi said, seating herself with a tray in her lap that held three cups of tea. "Suwako wasn't even the reason that the other gods died. Deres was."

"She _killed_ them?"

"Destroying a god is far from easy, but she did it somehow. If Lady Kanako says that Deres is somewhere in Gensokyo, it would be quite a gamble to doubt her for even a second. It may have even been her who destroyed your shrine, Reimu."

"Then I have to kill her," Reimu said wickedly.

"That's why Lady Kanako would worry."

"Huh?"

"Deres was sealed away since the means to destroy her were impossible to find. It was a place for all sorts of exiled gods; a very dark world. There's only been one incident in which a god escaped from there, and it just so happened to be Deres, who, according to Lady Kanako, had been freed by Suwako Moriya herself." Harumi wasn't fooled by the cheerful guise Suwako put up; she was never alive to witness it. That meant that the Yasaka miko could see that she was evil through and through, even if Kanako had forgotten. "I'm not going to ask you to avoid fighting Suwako, but if Deres is indeed in this world, I can't stress enough that you don't confront her, Reimu. I've heard of how important your existence is for Gensokyo to continue to be, and even from the short time I've been here, I can see how much the inhabitants love this world, and I couldn't stand seeing this world collapse."

"Who needs sealing," a new voice asked. "Just destroy that goddess; surely both of my apprentices would say the same."

Reimu's head turned quickly to the source of the voice. "You…"

* * *

><p>"Komachi."<p>

"Yes, Shiki-sama?"

"You feel it too, don't you? There's a goddess in Gensokyo becoming more powerful than she should…maybe two. You sense it too, right?"

"I do," Komachi said warily. "It feels like the bitter cold of death is crawling up my spine. Is this the same goddess from before?" From before Komachi was a Shinigami. Part of her had to wonder how old Eiki actually was if she was judging the sacrifices from that war.

"I'm afraid so. I'm about to ask a _very_ important task of you, Komachi, and if I find that you slack off on this, saying 'there will be Hell to pay' will be such an understatement that you don't even want to know the extent of your punishment."

"What's the task?"

"I need you to ferry me over to Gensokyo. And afterwards, I need you to contact the other Yama and have them send a temporary replacement to fill in for me while I'm gone."

"W-What? You mean-"

"I'm afraid so. I hate using violence, but I'll have to enter the fray as well."

"Then they'll need a replacement Shinigami, too! There's no way I can let you-"

"You will do your job as usual, Komachi, and that is an order!" Eiki's voice was even more stern than usual, and the power of authority behind her words was unquestionable. If Eiki had been frivolous earlier, this would have been the serious side of her. "Are we perfectly clear, Komachi?"

"Y-Y…Yes, ma'am."

"Good. We don't have any time to waste, we must get to Gensokyo as soon as possible."

* * *

><p>Visitors from above were rare in the Palace of Earth Spirits, but Satori was far from happy with this guest and the news they brought. The fire truck red of her face said that, as well as the twitching of her eyebrow. She had even asked that they say it aloud so that Satori could be certain she was reading the right mind properly!<p>

"Ms. Satori Komeiji," Nue started, reading from a note written on paper by Suwako. "You seem to have trouble keeping your pets in one place; we've recently caught a cat snooping around our shrine and Sanae discovered it to be Rin Kaenbyou, who is a pet of yours if I'm correct? Upon interrogation, we have learned that she had come to spy on us and relay information to the Yasaka Shrine, something we don't approve of here. Unless you want her to be sacrificed next, you will do as I say. Come to the Moriya Shrine before seven o-clock tomorrow morning; bring your sister and Utsuho. Failure to comply with this simple condition will result in the prompt sacrificing of Rin, and the raiding of your mansion to make not only you, but Koishi and Utsuho future sacrifices. No funny business. Signed, Suwako Moriya."

It was taking almost all of Satori's self-control to not explode in Nue's face. _Calm down, Satori, calm down. You're mature; you can handle this. Deep breaths…_ No good. This wasn't going to calm Satori down at all. "We…I-I…" Satori had never been this angry before. She could barely speak! "We'll be there," she said quickly and softly.

"Good to know," Nue said. And with that, she made her own way out of the underground mansion.

As soon as Satori could hear the front door close, she let out one massive scream at the top of her lungs. "Dammit," she yelled. "Utsuho! Koishi! Get over here, now! We have an emergency!" How could this have happened? Satori would need to have a word with Kanako once this business with Suwako and Sanae was settled.

"There's a problem with the reactor," Utsuho yelled back from deep beneath the mansion. "It could take some time to fix."

"Too bad," Satori yelled. "I need you both here, _now!_"

"Y-Y…Yes, Satori-sama! But, the reactor…"

"Shut it down for now!"

* * *

><p>"Let me get this straight," Reimu said, still glaring angrily at the ghost across the table from her. "You were freed when my shrine was destroyed, and have been watching Sanae and Suwako this whole time? And <em>now<em> you want to help us?"

"That's right," Mima said. "I can't let anybody else take over Gensokyo now, can I? It's mine to conquer and mine alone, so in the mutual interest of Gensokyo's…ahem, _temporary_ freedom and happiness and all that fluffy flutter, I propose an alliance. Until Suwako and Sanae are taken care of, I'll back you up." It was a shame, though, that Yuka had to go and worship at the Moriya Shrine. "There are certainly benefits to having me on your side."

"Like what?"

"Accept and you'll find out."

"…fine. But don't start thinking my opinion has changed about you, Mima."

"I wouldn't dare!"

* * *

><p>"M-Mima-sama!" Nearly as soon as Mima's voice had sounded, the countless locking mechanisms on Marisa's door could be heard being unlocked <em>very<em> rapidly. And then the door flung open. "Make yourself at home!"

"That's very kind. Thank you, Marisa."

"It's nothing," Marisa said with enthusiasm that hadn't been in her voice for quite some time. "You're my master after all, and nobody's seen you in years! You've been really missed!"

"And some missed her more than others," Reimu said wittily.

"You're a guest in _my_ house, ze. Keep it in mind, Reimu."

"Alright, I'm sorry. Now then, Mima, what's so important that we have to see Marisa for it?"

"I left her in possession of an item of mine," Mima said. "Do you still have it?"

"I've guarded it like sacred treasure da ze! Let me go find it!"

"Please do. The sooner this mess is over, the sooner I can start a mess of my own." It really _had_ been way too long since Mima had done anything worthwhile. This would be a good test of her ability.

"What did you leave her with," Reimu asked.

"Found it da ze!" Marisa rushed back to Mima, and handed her a necklace with a green star-shaped amulet. "Your amulet."

"Excellent," Mima said. "You see, Reimu, this amulet is extremely powerful; there's more power in this little green star than there is in your entire body."

"_That_ strong?" Even Marisa was surprised! "If I'd known that…!"

"Ah, but you don't know how to use it, Marisa. Even if you did, it only responds to my touch, so you would need me around to use it."

"Alright, ze. But…what's it do?"

"Well, it's more powerful than Reimu, so can you guess what I'm going to do with it?"

"…overpower her?"

"Close enough." Mima held the star amulet tightly, and it began to glow with a faint green light. And soon, that light grew brighter, and brighter, and green smoke even began coming out of the amulet. After this continued, the amulet exploded into countless shards that dissolved into thin air. "It only works once a day," Mima said, slightly upset. "But I'm glad my amulet still works right."

"…nothing seems any different, ze." Then she sensed it. Reimu probably wouldn't have been able to sense it; this sharp increase in power. Almost enough to make Marisa weak at her knees, magic power was filling the air. What was the source? …Mima! "Mima-sama…"

"Oh yes," Mima said. "It's been far too long. I'll see you girls at the Yasaka Shrine." And with that, the evil spirit of the Hakurei Shrine stepped outside, unfurled a pair of massive black wings, and blasted into the air. Mima was back in action, and her full power was now restored! Those silly little seals Reimu put up; they were no match for that amulet's power. Good thing she left it in Marisa's hands.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, Mima's back (bitches)<strong>

**Two of Gensokyo's green-haired individuals are on one side, two are on the other side, and one more still is en route to the Moriya Shrine with escort from Satori and Okuu. I believe the story has just entered high gear. Perhaps I should prepare the would-be apocalypse within the next two or three chapters. But anybody who knows me knows that my stories write themselves (sorta like how ZUN's games really are what write the songs, as he said in his song commentaries somewhere)**

**So, to recap, the big (and important) names on both sides are…**

**Reimu, Kanako, Mima, Eiki, and possibly Yukari and Marisa on the side of the Yasaka Shrine**

**Sanae, Suwako, Yuka, Nue, and possibly Satori, Koishi, and Okuu on the side of the Moriya Shrine**

**I should write more fanfics like this O_O**


	8. Chapter 8: I Found It In Makai

**If you ask me, this chapter might actually be a little more light-hearted than the usual chapter in this story…well, until the big part with Sanae toward the end, at least, and this beginning part with Suwako. There's a rather comical scene with Mima involving a fun little trinket she found in Makai that probably doesn't exist in canon. For folks who read all my fanfics and/or know that I hope to write a Mima/Shinki fanfic, this little trinket will definitely be there. Actually, I might give Mima this trinket every time I have her in a fanfic.**

* * *

><p>Suwako sat upon the throne in the Moriya Shrine, waiting rather impatiently for Satori and her crew to arrive. It was almost seven. Just to be certain, all of Orin's limbs had been tied up to ensure she wouldn't escape, as had her tails. She wasn't going anywhere. "Where's your master now," Suwako asked. "Things are looking awfully grim for you, Orin."<p>

"She'll be here," Orin said defiantly, making a small effort to escape despite being held by Rumia and Yuka to add on to her limbs being tied. "I'm sure of it! Satori-sama wouldn't abandon me or any of her pets or family!"

"But will she…ah, speak of the satori. Good morning, Miss Komeiji."

"Release Orin," Satori said. "I won't discuss anything with you until she's unbound and safely at my side."

"Oh? Is that any way to speak to a goddess, much less one who can decide the fate of your beloved pet with just a single command? The clock struck seven not a second after you arrived; consider yourself lucky." Turning her head to Rumia and Yuka, the frog goddess said "Do what Satori says. Untie the girl, but I want both of you guarding the exit so they can't make some daring escape."

"Thank you, Suwako." Satori nodded politely to the goddess as Orin's limbs and tails were released, and smiled to the beloved pet as she ran to Satori's side. "And I wouldn't dare make an escape. Because of our underground home, fleeing from an earth goddess would be most unwise."

"Ah. I see you understand your position in all this. Now, I just have two small requests. First off, I want your faith. Yours and everybody else's in the Palace of Earth Spirits."

"If it will keep us all safe, I'll comply."

"I really like your way of thinking, Satori. Secondly, should Hisou Tensoku need to be used, I ask that you let us use Utsuho's power of nuclear fusion. I want you to think _very_ carefully before you accept or decline that."

"I see that you'll just hold Okuu prisoner here if I say no, and use her power far more loosely. I'd rather know she's safe at most times than fear for her condition at all times. I may not approve of you or your shrine, but I'll comply with everything you've requested." Turning to make her leave, Satori said "Please know, however, that if you hurt Koishi, Okuu, Orin, or _anybody_ living under my roof, we will be back, and it won't be for tea and cupcakes."

"Your safety is assured under the promise of a goddess. No harm will befall your home, I promise."

* * *

><p>"That little bitch!" And here Marisa thought Sanae was a good girl! The entire story had been relayed to her by Reimu on the trip back to the Yasaka Shrine. "That explains why so many youkai have been acting all crazy, da ze!"<p>

"Acting crazy? So she has more worshippers than we thought…" This wouldn't end well. Reimu could practically taste that fact. "And worse, we haven't heard from Satori. What if they…you know, killed her? Or even worse, what if they have not only Satori, but everybody at the Palace of Earth Spirits worshipping them?"

"Even that little sister, ze?"

"Now you see why I'm worried." The ability to control the subconscious mind…that would be a terrifying thing if the Moriya Shrine really took Koishi's faith. And sure enough, when Reimu entered the shrine, there was Mima, just waiting for them to show up alongside Kanako. "What happened to Harumi?"

"She went out to try and do some reconnaissance," Kanako answered, sounding rather worried. "I have faith in her, but plenty of youkai in Gensokyo have their faith placed in Suwako and Sanae. I doubt either of them would expect Harumi to come back, but if she's found by Suwako, I can't even imagine what will happen."

"You're worrying too much," Mima said, holding what looked like an opium pipe between her pointer and middle fingers. "When and if she dies, just smuggle her out of Higan. And even that's assuming the slacker river guide decides to actually do her work for a change. We need to focus on harming our enemies more than helping our allies, Kanako. This is war, after all."

"Is that what I think it is," Marisa asked. "Mima-sama, I didn't know you smoked opium, ze."

"But I don't." Mima put the end of the pipe into her mouth and took in a deep breath. The air that entered the pipe turned a hot white, and when Mima exhaled, the result looked enough like smoke. That is, until one noticed that countless ghostly faces that composed it; most if not all of them seemed to be in pain or some kind of suffering. "It's a fun little trinket I picked up quite some time ago while we were in Makai. When one breathes in, the pipe collects lost souls, and the souls are scattered again when one exhales, though it does create a high like most drugs if used for prolonged periods of time. I wonder how long Shinki has spent looking for this thing now?"

"You stole it from Shinki, ze?" So not only was Mima an absurdly powerful witch, not only was she the evil spirit of the Hakurei Shrine, but she was also a bit of a thief herself? That explained how Marisa came to become a thief herself, looking back. She'd seen Mima take plenty of things from others before, but Marisa thought of it being more of the result of intimidation than thievery. "Are there any negative effects?"

"It's not like you to worry, Marisa. And for all the years I've had and smoked from this thing, for lack of a better term, I haven't seen any negative effects. Unless, of course, during my time being sealed away, I'd gotten so high that I couldn't remember the side effects…I guess we should add memory loss to the list."

"We're not here to talk about smoking," Reimu said, obviously irritated that Mima was being so relaxed and sociable. "We're here-"

"Maybe you should try it," Mima suggested.

"Nuh-uh, no way. Shrine maidens can't smoke, and even if we could, I wouldn't smoke lost souls if my life depended on it."

"Then let's say your life depends on it. I insist, one little smoke. You won't regret it."

"Not happening."

"Why not?"

"Because that thing is just wrong, and so is smoking!"

"Well, look at Little Miss Morality. Your morals weren't so great when you up and assaulted me when we first met, were they?"

"You were in my way in a hostile environment, what was I supposed to do?"

"Oh, gee, I don't know…" Mima put the pipe to her mouth again, taking a deep breath, and holding that breath in, finished "Ask nicely?" Then she exhaled, letting out another wave of lost souls. "You could've saved yourself a lot of trouble; if you hadn't beaten me up that first time I probably could've cared less about the Hakurei power. But if there's a power greater than mine, I'm simply inclined to do something about it."

"…I think you're high."

"Whatever gave you that impression?"

* * *

><p>"Ah, the messenger of peace between humans and youkai." It was Sanae up on the throne now, looking straight down at Byakuren Hijiri. "Looking back, I probably should have killed you while we were still in Makai. Now then, since time isn't moving any slower, what brings you to my shrine?"<p>

"You can't do this," Byakuren pleaded on her knees. "I've heard about what you and Suwako are planning. Gensokyo is a beautiful world, and we're so close to finally attaining peace between humans and youkai! I'm begging you, you can't do this; you can't just kill anybody who doesn't have faith in you and Suwako!"

"Ah, but think about it this way," Sanae said, stepping down from the seat of evil godly power. "If all the population of Gensokyo worships at the same place, under the same goddesses, what conflict will there be?" Slowly walking in circles around the kneeling Youchrist, Sanae continued. "We have both humans _and_ youkai worshipping here, something no other religious establishment has been able to do. One of Suwako's disciples is actually none other than Nue, who used to work at your temple, right?"

"That's right…Nue was working under me at the Myouren Temple before it was destroyed."

"And there have been…ahem, rumors. Rumors that others who follow your cause are starting to doubt their _glorious_ leader. If she can't keep her temple in one piece, how is she to do the same for world peace?"

"Stop…"

"I heard Murasa is beginning to reconsider. She's fine with the idea of destroying Gensokyo, especially if we were to do it with a flood. Whereas your other followers, namely Shou and Nazrin, faithful as the two are…the rumors are true, aren't they, that Nazrin and Shou have up and disappeared? I wonder where they could be? Perhaps to make their own attempts at world peace, a goal that's eluded you all this time."

"Please, stop," Byakuren begged, her eyes slowly filling with tears.

"And then there's Ichirin and Unzan. I'm sure she'd stick with you, at least. After all, _somebody_ has to be there for her when clouds can't save her. And then there's Nue, _oh-so-faithful_ Nue. She joined us right after your temple was destroyed, and managed to get us the faith of the entire Scarlet Devil Mansion, and she's even infiltrated Eientei and is trying to get their faith as well. For her to come here so quickly and easily, I guess she never really believed in you after all."

"Stop at once!"

"Hm?"

"You're lying," Byakuren sobbed. "Even if Nue is with you now, my followers would never abandon me. I saved them from such horrible circumstances, that they always tell me they owe me more than I can ever imagine."

"Really, now?" Nudging Byakuren's head to tell her to look behind her, Sanae asked "Then who is this ghostly sailor at our doorstep?"

"M-M…Murasa. She's lying, right? You wouldn't all leave me?"

"They might not," the captain answered. "But I am. Nobody's seen Shou or Nazrin anywhere, and Ichirin's an absolute train wreck; she's been seen rampaging around with Unzan. That just leaves you."

"Just…me? Alone? The only one? Nobody else?" Byakuren's entire body began to shake. Those countless years spent sealed away in Hokkai; being forced into solitude for so very long… Was that another reason she wanted to spread peace? So that everybody could get along, ensuring that no one person was left alone? "That can't be true," the Youchrist said desperately. "Murasa, please come back!"

"Join us," Sanae said. "Sure, we sacrifice a couple people a day, but there's perfect peace between our worshippers; the worst of grudges have dissolved and none of our worshippers wish any harm on the others." It was true; not even Yuka had been targeting the other worshippers. Sanae showed a wicked grin, looking right at the ghostly sailor who, for just a second, showed the red eyes of her true face and winked right at Sanae. "Good job," she mouthed to Nue. Back to Byakuren, Sanae said "I promise we'll take good care of you."

"…I'll do it."

"Good to hear," Sanae said joyfully. "It would have been very inconvenient to try and sacrifice you if you said no, since we can't just let you leave here without promising your faith to myself and Suwako."

* * *

><p>"Bring me up to speed," Mima said, exhaling another cloud of lost souls. The previous argument had been settled when Kanako threatened to send both Reimu and Mima to the Moriya Shrine with a giant sign that read "Sacrifices Here" in big letters. "Who are the big names in Gensokyo since I've left? I trust that Yuka and Yukari are still up there?"<p>

"They are, ze," Marisa answered. "There's also…"

* * *

><p><strong>I rather like how Mima looks smoking. Search it up on Danbooru; you'll see what I'm envisioning exactly. I just hope Mima doesn't end up being in this fanfic only for comic relief. If so, somebody please just put me on the Moriya Shrine's sacrificial altar right now and plunge a knife through my heart. And the Nue thing was entirely planned out.<strong>

**Sanae's harsh words sent chills down my spine when I wrote them. I doubt Murasa will actually join the Moriya crew though; her and the rest of Byakuren's former followers will probably join the Yasaka team. Which would probably in turn confuse Byakuren and drive her absolutely nuts trying to figure out what the truth was. It seems that the secret to the Moriya Shrine getting faith is through mental breakdowns, what with Orin being almost sacrificed and Byakuren thinking everybody else left her**


	9. Chapter 9: Lunatic Red Eyes

**Remember those rumors Sanae talked about in the last chapter? I should point out that none of them are actually true…well, the part about Shou and Nazrin disappearing had some truth to it. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that so that it makes a little more sense that this chapter starts up with the entire Myouren crew, short of Nue and Byakuren obviously.**

**Oh, and a disclaimer because of Murasa's attitude toward the people of a certain country. I don't hate the British; I actually have a few British friends and they're friggin' awesome! That said, this actually starts on a kind of funny note. By Suwako, this better not become another silly fanfic! But, being me, it probably will by the end between Mima trying to get Reimu high and this opening scene here.**

* * *

><p>"Has anybody seen Hijiri," Murasa asked. Byakuren aside, the entire crew of the Myouren Temple was assembled in front of the recently rebuilt Palanquin Ship. "Or do we need to nominate a new leader for the time being?"<p>

"About that," Nazrin said nervously. "I've got mice at the Moriya Shrine telling me that…well, Byakuren's joined them!"

"What!"

"And worse, because Nue impersonated _you_, Murasa, and said you were joining them."

"Nue, that little bitch!" Murasa stepped onto the deck of the Palanquin Ship, and said "We need a new leader for now, since there's only four of us. I nominate myself."

"You can't nominate yourself," Ichirin said. "Besides, you're not counting Unzan."

"Oh, right. Sorry, Unzan. But even Byakuren herself would say that in the event that she can't lead us, I would be the best candidate to fill in her shoes until things are settled."

"How so?"

"Because I'm _Captain_ Murasa." Pointing out boldly to the horizon, she continued with gusto, "Former Captain in the great Japanese navy in the outside world; the finest damn Captain out of the entire navy! Other boats turned sail and ran when they saw me because of my ability to lead my men perfectly in battle! Or…at least until the British navy showed up. I'd rather not talk about those limey bastards."

"Didn't they sink your ship and you got an anchor caught on your foot?"

"So? Not like there are any British folks here. For the life of me, England was the only country with a navy that even intimidated my crew for a second. And unless there are some of them here in Gensokyo, we're fine."

"What about the Scarlet Devil?"

"Her? Are you sure she's British?"

"I always thought she was, based on what I've heard," Shou said.

"Really? I thought she was French, or even Greek, but not British."

"No matter where she's from, we don't have time to discuss who is from where. Lead on, Captain Murasa."

"Alright, now we're talking." Stepping up to the front of the deck, Murasa shouted "Palanquin Ship…launch!" The boat itself and the ground around it shook furiously as the boat near-literally came to life, and started lifting off the ground. "If you'll excuse me for a moment…" Murasa knew her military uniform was somewhere on this boat. She hadn't been able to wear it for a very long time without looking ridiculous, and now was a perfect opportunity.

* * *

><p>"What an honor," Mima said, exhaling another cloud of lost souls. "A visit from the Yama is truly a rare occasion. Worthy of celebration, perhaps."<p>

"Silence yourself," Eiki Shiki said to Mima. Anybody could tell that girl deserved to be sent straight to Hell for her actions, but sending her there was pointless. She would escape; simple as that. "Where is Kanako at?"

"Down the hall. Care to smoke with me a bit?"

"You must be joking."

"Ah, not so friendly, are you?" Mima watched Eiki head over to where Kanako was. She was in Sanae's old room, planning a course of action with Reimu and a Harumi who had recently come back from that reconnaissance she went out to do. At the least, they now knew the layout of the Moriya Shrine and the area around it, and that Suwako and Sanae currently had roughly 100 worshippers. Among them were some of the big names in Gensokyo, like Yuka Kazami, Remilia Scarlet, and most recently, Byakuren Hijiri. How the two goddesses pulled that last one off was beyond them, but it didn't matter since Byakuren was quite an enemy, or so Mima had heard. _Perhaps I should have Marisa help us. True that it's dangerous and that humans have quite a bit of trouble coming back from the dead, but that's nothing I can't resolve in a day or two._ …nah. Best to keep Marisa out of this, Mima figured.

* * *

><p>"Hey there, Byakuren," Yuka said happily, dragging another (unconscious) sacrifice into the cell beneath the Moriya Shrine. "Care to give me a hand? This girl's really stubborn." It was true. This was the only member of the Scarlet Devil Mansion who refused to give her faith to Sanae and Suwako, even after being thrown in the basement with Flandre. "She might wake up any time now, so-"<em> WHAM!<em> "Ow, my face," Yuka shouted, her voice muffled by her two hands now covering her face in pain.

"I won't let you do this," Meiling said boldly. "I'll fight each and every one of you at once to show you that what you're doing is just wrong."

"Really, now," a frog goddess asked from atop the roof of the Moriya Shrine. "Who will believe you? Nue here has already convinced everybody that she's the real Remilia, and that the so-called imposter is only living there under the Scarlet Devil's good graces. Unless you have solid evidence that Nue is the real imposter, everybody will think you're crazy." Then pillars of rock shot up from the ground, enclosing Meiling entirely save her head. "You know, I could kill you at this very moment if I want to. I'm offering you a chance to make it until seven tonight, or maybe even longer if you're lucky. Did you know that we're making important preparations tomorrow? So I'll give you a choice, right here and right now. One; you join us and devote your faith to myself and Sanae like everybody else at the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Or two; you're tonight's sacrifice. Which will it be?"

"Nice thinking, Lady Suwako," Byakuren complimented. "If she can't coexist with us, then we should simply remove her from the picture."

"I wish you always thought this way, Byakuren. And it's nice to see you _and_ Nue both under our flag. In fact, she's out doing something very important at this very moment with Sanae…"

* * *

><p>"Y-You mean…you really want me to do that?"<p>

"Did I stutter, Reisen?" Now Nue's form was that of Gensokyo's foremost doctor. "Spread madness across all of Gensokyo. It may be tiring on you, but I'm sure it won't be fatal. Even if it is, as long as you manage to survive, I can easily make you as good as new, Reisen. This is no longer a request, but an order." Sliding open the front door to Eientei, Nue faked surprise for a moment as she looked Sanae right in the eyes. "Ah, the Moriya miko. What can I do for you?"

"Suwako has come down with a cold, so I came to get some medicine." The plan was flawless. Nue had already been provided with a fake bottle of medicine, and Sanae was here to use her miracle powers to increase Reisen's power 1,000-fold when she started firing off the waves of insanity, assuring that each and every individual in Gensokyo who wasn't prepared would be mad as a hatter, making them ideal worshippers for the Moriya Shrine. "Everything else is fine, though."

"Good to hear. I'll get the medicine, you do what you must."

"Don't I always? Suwako says I'm a good girl." Sanae smiled innocently as Nue turned back to re-enter Eientei. Only one thing could go wrong with this plan, Sanae knew. And that one thing had been taken care of by Nue already. In the event that the real Eirin were to see Nue about in her form, she would instantly know something was up. That was why Nue had earlier today taken the form of Eirin's princess and brutally assaulted her. All loose ends tied up, and the second Sanae could feel the waves of insanity emitting from Reisen, the evil miko let off with a miracle. She could physically feel Reisen's power increase; just being near her was making Sanae feel crazier. Things were about to get interesting in Gensokyo…

* * *

><p>"Yuyuko-sama, your lunch is ready."<p>

"Good to hear, Youmu." The ghostly lady of Hakugyokurou sat down at the table with a smile on her face, looking at all the food and then across the table to Youmu. "It all looks delicious." Yuyuko grabbed a fork, stuck it through a large piece of meat, and brought it to her face. But just before the meat entered her mouth, Yuyuko stopped. Something wasn't quite right here…but what?

"Yuyuko-sama…is the food not good enough? I can make a new lunch right away!"

"Oh, no, the food's fine, Youmu. Hey, Youmu…would you feed me?"

"I-I…_what_?"

"Please?"

"W-Well, I…guess…" Youmu grabbed the fork with the meat on it, and brought the meat to Yuyuko's mouth. "This is awfully-" _CHOMP!_

"Delicious, Youmu!"

"…Y-Yuyuko…sama…" Youmu's entire face went snow white in terror. Not only had Yuyuko just eaten the entire piece of meat in one bite, not only had she actually swallowed the fork…the part that had Youmu locked up in fear was that she was now bleeding profusely from her arm. Yuyuko had just eaten Youmu's hand!

"Next bite, please."

"Are you sure you're alright? Y-You don't look like yourself…"

"Where's the next bite?"

"…y-yes, Yuyuko-sama…ri-right away." Even at this point, Youmu knew that continuing to feed Yuyuko would be about equal to suicide. Youmu could tell by the look on her master's face; it wasn't the meat Yuyuko was looking at like some kind of midday snack. No, those hungry eyes were directed at Youmu. "A-Are you sure…that you're not full?"

"Youmu. The next bite, please."

* * *

><p>Alice stared from afar at the blazing fire. She would never say it was her doing, ever. She didn't want the blame when word got around that Marisa's house was burning to the ground. Good thing Marisa was out at the Yasaka Shrine at this time. All the dolls were back at Alice's house, except for Shanghai, who sat faithfully on her shoulder like a parrot, looking away from the fire in the closest thing to fear a doll could feel. Then it nudged Alice on the side of the head; Marisa was coming back.<p>

"Hey, Ali…my house!" Marisa ran up to her house. "It's burning down da ze!"

"You poor thing," Alice said with fake pity. "Perhaps you should stay with me until we rebuild your house? I insist. I'll even have my dolls all working on your house being rebuilt so that you can be back home and comfy as soon as possible."

"This is awfully straightforward for Alice, ze. Are you sure you're alright?"

"Never better," Alice said, the fire from Marisa's house reflecting ominously in her eyes. "Never better, Marisa."

"Alright then. I'll stay with you for now, ze."

* * *

><p><strong>Tsundere Alice is now yandere. Now for a bit of trivia: Alice plans to almost finish having her dolls build Marisa's house, but then she'd start a forest fire and detonate all her dolls, forcing a new set to start from scratch. As much as I love Alice, I wouldn't want to be in Marisa's shoes during this fanfic. Mima coming back is great and all, but I'd hate to be living with a yandere who loves me…actually, as uncharacteristically masochistic this is going to sound, that actually doesn't sound too bad.<strong>

**On a completely unrelated note, I once searched "tsundere" and "yandere" at the same time on Danbooru, and found a picture of Youmu saying something along the lines of "You're late, so I want you to look at nobody else but me." 3 I could just eat her right up…**

**Oh, also. To see what Murasa's military uniform looks like, go on Danbooru and go to the pool called "Gensokyo Imperial Army" or something like that; she's in there. Now that I'm looking at it again…damn, military Murasa is hot. Such a manly woman…**

**Gentlemen, I believe I'm in love with Captain Murasa.**


	10. Chapter 10: News Flash

**Anybody here know that I play MUGEN? I have a ton of Touhou characters on it; just about every major character in this (I'll give you a full list at the end of the chapter) and I have it set to that most characters get a theme song in arcade mode. Kanako is the only character whose theme in MUGEN is actually the original by ZUN, because I don't think any remixes capture Kanako as well as the original. Sanae's theme in MUGEN is the Foreground Eclipse arrange of her theme, and I brought MUGEN up because that same song was pretty much the only thing I listened to writing this chapter.**

**Also, whoever knows what scene is referenced at the end of this chapter, let me know that you know!**

* * *

><p>"Ayayayaya!"<p>

"What news do you have to report, Aya?" Kanako could tell just by the look on Aya's face. It was the kind of news that only came once ever few decades. And given the situation Gensokyo was in, odds were that it was _very_ bad news. "And please, for the love of me, don't let it be an earthquake."

"It's not an earthquake." Aya held out the newest edition of the Bunbunmaru, and said "Hot off the press for you, Lady Kanako! Everybody's been going nuts all over Gensokyo!"

"…_what_?" Kanako grabbed the paper from Aya's hands, the gesture seeming more aggressive than she meant it to, as she looked at the story on the front page. "All over Gensokyo," she started, reading quietly, "I've been getting reports about people showing sudden demented behavior all over Gensokyo. The first of these reports came from Keine Kamishirisawa, who until just yesterday resided in the Human Village, and she had reported that her dear friend, Fujiwara no Mokou, had been seen burning down anything in her path. The first two locations that were targeted were, in this order, Eientei and the Human Village. The latter location was barely saved by Keine when she rendered Mokou unconscious. Other such reports range from one by Youmu Konpaku regarding her master's sudden cannibalism to a report from our own Momiji Inubashiri, who reported (on her day off, may I add) that there have been riots in the tengu city. More on this as it develops."

"I'm guessing you-know-who is the one to blame?"

"Suwako? No. Crazy as she may be, she's far too structured in her madness to change up her tactics like this. It has to be Sanae's doing. But the fact that she's made a move this big can't be good. Either she convinced Suwako to change her mind about the three-day warning, or she has her own plans, which I can only imagine will end in disaster. Whichever possibility comes out to be true, it's safe to say that we're in a deep pile of trouble here."

"Should I gather the tengu?"

"The sane ones, at least. And the kappa as well. I need to speak to Reimu about another race familiar with Youkai Mountain."

"You've got it!" And with that, faster than the wind itself, Aya was out of the shrine, off to gather the tengu and kappa that were still sane!

* * *

><p>"My, my," Mima said, looking over the wreckage of the Hakurei Shrine that had yet to be repaired. "Those goddesses have quite some nerve, destroying my shrine without thinking about the consequences."<p>

"So now it's yours, Mima? I hope you didn't hurt Reimu too badly to get it." Yukari gave off a witty little laugh as she stepped out of a gap and onto the shrine grounds. "But in all seriousness, we're in a dire situation here. People are going nuts all over Gensokyo; I was just attacked by both Ran _and_ Chen! To top it off, that Moriya miko is probably getting more powerful as we speak."

"I've been meaning to talk to you about her. A human goddess, they call her. Just how true is that?"

"As true as can be. She's descended from an evil goddess."

"One of two in Gensokyo. …well, this Sanae girl sounds awfully interesting. I think I'll need to pay her a little visit around the time that this all cleans up. For now, care to help in fixing this shrine? A god without a shrine isn't much of a god, is it?"

"Very well. You seem to not be that concerned about Marisa, given the light of this situation."

"Marisa? She's…" While trying to think of the right words, Mima started waving her hands around as they emitted a green light, and as the pile of rubble began lifting itself into the air. "Well, I may be partially to blame here, but she's not exactly sane herself. I'm sure this wave of insanity didn't impact her."

"Ah. But if she were to have an enemy who was previously docile; a particularly powerful one, or even a former student of Mima who wished for a little rough playtime …"

And just like that, the rubble that was held up by Mima's magic fell to the floor. "You don't mean to imply that Yuka could be after her, do you?"

"Perhaps I do. You'd best find out."

"…" And in an instant, Mima was gone.

* * *

><p>"Damn," Yuka said. "If only Lady Suwako had sent me out yesterday…" The flower youkai held a bit of ash in her hands; it seemed that getting Marisa and making a sacrifice of her would be harder than Yuka expected. Whatever set fire to Marisa's house, they were pretty serious about making sure nothing was spared. But not even that worried her in the slightest. However, something <em>did<em> worry her. If Mima were to return to Gensokyo, and she were to find that this house had been burnt down, then given the fact that the Hakurei Shrine was destroyed by Sanae…that could make her target the Moriya Shrine. And as highly as Yuka thought of Suwako and Sanae, she feared that not even the two of them combined could even compare to Mima's full power. If that were to happen. But, fortunately Mima wasn't-

"What the hell happened here, Yuka? I hope you're not behind this."

Mima _wasn't_ in Gensokyo. "I'm not responsible, Mima-sama. You have my word. I was sent here to find Marisa."

"Hm?" Mima put a hand to her chin, and said "I don't recall asking anybody to find Marisa for me. Unless you're following orders from somebody that I don't know of? So tell me, Yuka. Who _are _you answering to?"

"The Moriya Shrine. Perhaps you should join us, Mima-sama? I'm sure even our two goddesses would be honored to have you join them!"

"They're the prime suspects for burning this house down," Mima said coldly. "I'd rather be powerless than join them if they're trying to harm my apprentice. _Especially_ if my other apprentice, who is so infamous for her sadism, happens to work for that shrine." Holding out a hand, Mima said "I've returned, and I was going to look for you once I located Marisa, as a matter of fact. Between the three of us, no force in Gensokyo will ever hope to stop us in our goals. So join me, Yuka; fight alongside your master to achieve her greatest dream."

"True godhood?"

"Well, that too. I was referring to conquest of Gensokyo. And I promise, you'll have a fine little harem of slaves to do with as you please."

"…" That _was_ pretty tempting bait. But she was faithful to Suwako and Sanae! On the other hand, Mima was her master; the one that had been so missed by Yuka, even if she seemed to have forgotten entirely about her. Truth was that Mima vanishing was why Yuka had even cut her hair short; seeing that long green hair in the mirror every morning was too much. "I'm yours to command once again, Mima-sama."

"Excellent. We have to find Marisa _alive_. Do you have any idea where she might be, or who she might be with? Any ideas at all, Yuka?"

"Let me think for a moment…"

* * *

><p>"Please," Kogasa shrieked, all four of her limbs being held tightly by figures in black cloaks. "Not this again! I don't want to die! I'll do anything you ask, I swear, anything, but just don't put me through this again!"<p>

"You have no choice in the matter," Sanae said from atop the throne above the altar. "If Suwako or myself can find some use for you beyond a recurring sacrifice, we'll be sure to enlist you into our service. But until then, shut up, lay down, and accept your fate. Just have a look around." Sanae gestured around the room to the various worshippers. "Some of Gensokyo's finest worship here, and I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate you running. But they'd probably be a hell of a lot less pissed off than I'd be, I can assure you of that at the least, Kogasa."

"I'm sorry," Kogasa screamed as she was placed in the altar. "I don't know what I did to make you hate me like this, but I'm sorry!"

"…hold it," Sanae said not seconds before Kogasa would have been killed for the second time in sacrifice to the miko-turned-god. "I know what to do with this karakasa…"

"Thank you, Lady Goddess Lots-of-Other-Stuff Sanae! Thank you!"

"Quit sucking up to me, or I'll just let these fine ladies continue with the sacrifice."

"Point taken," Kogasa squeaked.

"As carefree as it may seem, being an evil goddess is very stressful. And I've simply had no way of venting that stress. Somebody find Suwako; I need to ask her about these rumors I'm hearing about a torture chamber beneath the shrine."

* * *

><p><strong>About five minutes later…<strong>

"Well color me surprised," Sanae said, but not in regards to the karakasa. She was surprised by the effort put into this torture chamber. "You've outdone yourself, Suwako."

"_Somebody_ has to outdo me," Suwako wittily replied. "Don't worry about bloodstains. In fact, as you can tell, this chamber is very new. And nobody's been down here yet, so…go ahead and go nuts with bloodstains."

"Believe me," Sanae said, sounding much more evil than she had in her entire life. "I will."

"Ooh, that even sent shivers down _my_ spine! You have fun now, Sanae."

"Will do." And once Suwako was out of the room, Sanae had a better look. Well, before anything, Kogasa needed to be held down by something so she couldn't run…the steel cross in the center of the room. It had cuffs built in to hold somebody prisoner near the wrists, just above the ankles, and at the neck. That would do perfectly. Sanae put the karakasa on the cross and started locking it up. "I hope you like how that steel feels against you," Sanae said. "I think you'll be down here for the rest of your life."

The karakasa's fear multiplied when she heard that. "W-Wait…what did you have planned?"

"I'm just making it up as I go along. But I think I get why Suwako put those leg-cuffs right above the ankles instead of _on_ the ankles…this hammer and this big nail give me a pretty good idea of why that was."

"Don't do it! I have no idea what you're talking about, but please don't do it!"

"Too late," Sanae said. Sanae carefully placed the nail up against Kogasa's Achilles tendon, and said "Alright. On the count of three, I'm going to sever your Achilles tendon. Ready?"

"No!"

"One…" _CHING!_

"**Aaaaaah! It hurts!**" Kogasa found herself crying in pain. She didn't even want to look down at the injury Sanae had just given her; she was afraid that doing so would only make it hurt more. Being sacrificed was painful and all, but that didn't even begin to compare to this! Not in the least!

"…oops," Sanae said with a fake tone of apology. "I guess that's three."

* * *

><p><strong>Whoever knows what scene is referenced at the end there, lemme just say that Sanae won't get a flashback chapter. And if you don't know what scene was referenced, I just gave you a bit of a hint. Since I'm already on the topic, I didn't cry during that flashback episode. I ALMOST cried at the end when the miko (not specifying which one in case of spoilers) kicked the bucket, but I thought somebody was going to get seriously pummeled because of who was standing right there when she died.<strong>

**That episode ended very sad. That's the kind of thing even I can't make a joke about, and I've made jokes about some pretty fucked-up things, so this is saying something on my part…or on the part of that flashback episode.**

**And if you've seen it too, I KNOW I'm not the only one who thought "Oh shit" when Kanako's theme started playing and the snake showed up. Right?**

**I want a new episode badly, with the old drawing style. And I want demented serial-killer Koishi back too while I'm at it! And more Flandre! Add Mima, too! You can never have enough Mima!**

***continues to make suggestions that sound like demands despite the fact that the creator is in Japan and the odds of him/her reading this are far less than one-in-a-bazillion*  
>No MUGEN list because I'm lazy and tired.<strong>


	11. Chapter 11: Dawn of the First Day

**This chapter starts with a huge re-cap to make sure you didn't forget anything. I know I did! Anyway, I pull lots of triggers here to set stuff in motion, but don't think that the fanfic is nearing its end! I have not one, not two, but THREE arcs planned out! We're in the Moriya arc right now, though it's probably gonna be the longest one of the three. Last time I tried to write a bunch of long arcs…Poisonous Chinese Tea. I'll just say that.**

**Maybe I'm harsher on that one than I should be. I mean, it WAS my first actual fanfic (I had a Touhou/TTGL crossover at one point, but I deleted it shortly after starting it) and I've made tons of progress since then! Compare the first chapter of Poisonous Chinese Tea to the first chapter of this fanfic or Kaguya Vs. Mokou, or for the connoisseurs among you, A Magician's Chronicle.**

**I like that last one a lot. Shame I'm kinda stuck with it at the moment. I'll figure something out though; I always do :D and if I don't, Azure usually has good advice to get me back on track.**

**Oh right, listen to the final boss theme from Overlord when you read this re-cap at the start; it goes well.**

* * *

><p><em>It has been four days since Sanae Kochiya was inflicted with the madness placed upon her by the blood of an evil goddess; the blood that courses through her veins because she is the descendant of Suwako Moriya. On day one, Sanae destroyed both the Hakurei Shrine and the Myouren Temple, and later on the same day, Suwako joined forces with her and began gathering faith from some of the residents of Gensokyo that could be considered wicked or malevolent, causing the makings of a war to stir between this new Moriya Shrine and the old Moriya Shrine, renamed to the Yasaka Shrine by Suwako; a name accepted by Kanako Yasaka. The four disciples to the two evil goddesses are Rumia, Yuka Kazami (who has abandoned the Moriya Shrine and was replaced by Byakuren Hijiri not long ago), Yamame Kurodani, and Nue Houjuu. Each has done a substantial job in getting more faith for the new Moriya Shrine; not the least of these acts was Nue's astonishing conversion of the entire Scarlet Devil Mansion thanks to her assuming the identity of it's owner. Just yesterday, Nue had again used her ability to change her form, this time assuming the form of Eirin Yagokoro to force Reisen Inaba to send waves of madness all across Gensokyo. Most of the population has been affected, and the few that are still sane are either Kanako's worshippers or victims to this wave of demented behavior, including one Youmu Konpaku who was nearly eaten alive by her master.<em>

_With the destruction of the Hakurei Shrine, Reimu has been forced to ally herself with Kanako until this incident is resolved. The two of them had ventured to Higan recently and brought back Kanako's daughter and the final Yasaka shrine maiden; Harumi Yasaka, who would know better than anybody what Suwako's strengths and weaknesses are because of the memories of her death. Joining this alliance is the powerful ghost Mima, as well as all of Kanako's worshippers, including the likes of Aya Shameimaru, Momiji Inubashiri, and Nitori Kawashiro. Also visiting the Yasaka Shrine to join the fray is Yamaxanadu Eiki Shiki, who has requested a substitute Yama to fill in her shoes for the duration of this incident._

_Mima, however, has her own plans. She has taken Yuka back under her black wings, and the two are currently seeking out Marisa Kirisame, whose house was burnt down, forcing her to reside with Alice Margatroid for the time being. When Mima has both of her apprentices back, she intends to storm the Moriya Shrine and take its control and faith by force, increasing her own power enough to soundly defeat Reimu and everybody allied with her; an action which would lay the foundation for world conquest and, depending on how things play out, ascension to true godhood._

_But Mima isn't the only one who has been plotting behind the backs of gods…_"I believe we have enough faith," Sanae said confidently to her fellow goddess. "It's time to ready the apocalypse."

* * *

><p>"Not yet, Sanae. We need more worshippers."<p>

"_More_? I got us all of Gensokyo in the palm of our hands! If anybody wants to stop us, they'll have to get through damn near everybody in the whole world to reach us! Not even Reimu can take on all of Gensokyo at once and win."

"…you're right." Suwako stepped outside. It was time. Time to begin that which cannot be stopped except by the most drastic of means. The only way Suwako was willing to stop this from happening was if she was actually defeated in battle once again. That was the point behind the sacrifices. "Gather _everybody_. Anybody who even has a shred of faith in us, bring them all here. Get everybody here to help you. Once all our worshippers are here, I'll shelter the Moriya Shrine from the incoming apocalypse, and we can sit back and let the world end."

"Right away."

* * *

><p>"…four days," Reimu said. "<em>Four days<em> and my shrine is still not fixed."

"_That's_ what you're on about," Kanako asked. "I'd be more concerned about the two evil goddesses that are plotting the destruction of Gensokyo as we know it, personally. That and the fact that nearly everybody in Gensokyo has lost their marbles!"

"Fine, I guess you're right…" _Rumble._ "Did you feel something?" _RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE…_

"Wait for it," Kanako said. "Wait for it…"

___!_ The entire Yasaka Shrine shook violently in every direction, causing Reimu to lose her footing just about instantly. Kanako, however, didn't even budge. "We'd best get out from under this roof. No telling if it could fall on us; Suwako _was_ an earth goddess, after all." Lifting up the miko who couldn't even stand over her shoulder, Kanako said "I tend to forget that humans fall a lot during earthquakes."

"What in the name of truth is going on," Eiki's voice demanded from across the shrine.

"An earthquake," Kanako shouted back. "Meet me out front."

* * *

><p><em><strong>COUNTDOWN TO THE APOCALYPSE. DAY ONE. 72 HOURS REMAIN.<strong>_

* * *

><p><em><em>"Worshippers," Sanae said with a wicked happiness from the roof of the Moriya Shrine, accompanied by the four disciples. "So glad to see all of you here. From the weakest of youkai like little Rumia here, to some of Gensokyo's most threatening folks, such as one Flandre Scarlet I see in the crowd beneath a red parasol. But we're not here to take names; we're here because Suwako's plan of re-shaping Gensokyo has been set into motion!" The evil miko bathed in the cheers of the crowd, and looked for the faces that seemed to want to leave the shrine so that she knew who had to be sacrificed. "You there, Sakuya. Why so upset?"

"I'm not upset."

"Liar. It's all over you." Hopping down from the roof, Sanae asked "You don't like Suwako's plan, do you? And don't lie to me either, or your fate will be _far_ worse than death."

"…no. I don't. I hate her plan, and everything it stands for. I'm only on board with it because Lady Remilia is."

"Really, now? _Interesting_. Perhaps I can…_persuade_ you to think otherwise. Imagine, not just the head maid of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, not just the head maid of Gensokyo, but THE Head Maid!"

"Titles are meaningless to me."

"…" Sanae was clearly frustrated already with trying to convince Sakuya. "You know that altar inside our shrine? The one where sacrifices go? Unless you want to end up on that altar, Sakuya," Sanae said with a raising voice. "You'll sit back, and let us do what we're doing! Do I make myself perfectly clear!" _SLICE!_

"I'm not retired from the business of resolving incidents. Don't dare think you've replaced me, shrine maiden."

"…you, arrogant bitch!" Sanae lifted the maid up with one hand, the other trembling fiercely as it went up to her face to wipe the blood from her cut. "I am no shrine maiden. I am a god! You hear me? _A god!_ A living god! The only human god Gensokyo has or ever will know! I obviously haven't shown yet that I'm more than willing to cut a few losses to achieve my goals, and I think I'll start with you for an example!" Sanae began dragging Sakuya into the Moriya Shrine, and slammed her violently onto the altar with almost enough force to shatter it. Bones were shattered; the loud cracking noises told everybody in earshot that was certain. "I'll kill you personally! Consider yourself honored, _human_, to be the first and quite possibly last person to ever be sacrificed by this god on her own sacrificial altar!" Yanking one of the knives from the nearby rack, Sanae coldly asked "How does it feel to be sacrificed by a knife? On the altar of the very girl who has been solving incidents in your place?" Raising the knife, Sanae let loose with a dark cackle; one that could probably send shivers down even Mima's spine. "This is the end, Sakuya Izayoi. Goodb-"

"ZA WARU-" _STAB! _"Urgh…z…za…" _STAB!_ "…z-" _STAB! STAB! STAB!_

"Denied." The blood from Sakuya's stab wounds started going along the grooves of the tub that was the top of the altar, flowing into the bottom of the altar. Oh yes. Today was shaping up to be one excellent day. And with this sacrifice, Sanae's power would increase even further. "Listen up," the evil goddess said, addressing all of the worshippers. "Effective immediately, we're not going with seven-o-clock sacrifices anymore. We'll get sacrifices whenever we damn well please, and by the time the apocalypse hits, nothing, and I repeat, _nothing_ will stop these divine plans!" Sanae's mini-speech was met with the thunderous roar of hundreds of voices cheering in unison. Sanae's plan was now in motion…

* * *

><p><em>Tap, tap, tap.<em> Youmu was paler today than usual. It was because of the blood loss more than anything, or the trauma of almost getting eaten alive by the one ghost she didn't fear. The latter was obvious enough on her face to warrant bright neon signs saying "I'm traumatized" in big flashing letters with jazzy swing music to draw everybody's attention. "Is anybody there," Youmu asked.

And it was Reimu who slid the door open. "Yeah, Youmu, what's…the…"

"Help me," the half-phantom gardener begged.

"What in Kanako's name happened to you!"

"Talk later. For now, please. Just help me. Hide me, heal me, for the love of god shelter me. I'm not safe out here. I'm not safe anywhere if I'm alone."

"Y-Yeah, come in." Reimu stepped aside quickly. Whatever got its hands on Youmu apparently tried to eat her alive, and came pretty damn near close! Half of her right arm was gone, she was missing an eye, and Reimu could visibly see one of her lungs beneath a half-eaten ribcage. It looked like somebody threw Youmu in an evisceration machine and set it to high; the girl looked like she was barely standing. "What the hell happened?"

"It was Yuyuko-sama," Youmu said, her voice already broken. "We were just sitting down, eating lunch, and she asked me to feed her. I thought it was kind of strange, but I went with it since she's my master and all, and she…" Youmu held out her half-arm, and asked in terror "Do I really have to explain?"

"Oh my god…" Aya wasn't kidding when she said people were going nuts! Reimu's tough personality would have to wait; Youmu was obviously traumatized and mortified because of what had happened, and it would probably be a while before she could look at Yuyuko without being afraid again. "Youmu, you can stay here for now. When the Hakurei Shrine gets repaired, make yourself at home until you heal up, outside _and_ in."

"Thank you, Reimu. I'll make dinner for everybody-"

"No. You're seriously hurt!"

"…you're right. I'm sorry. I'll relax and heal up as fast as I can."

"Take your time. I'm sure you'll need it." There was still the challenge of making sure Youmu wasn't here alone. She'd said herself that nowhere was safe if she was alone, so leaving her to herself was probably a bad idea; it would only scare her. "I'll get some bandages and the Yasaka miko over here; she's one hell of a healer compared to me or even Sanae."

"Thank you."

* * *

><p><strong>I feel truly sorry for Youmu. And I could still just eat her up, even in her horrible condition 3<strong>

**The Gensokyo The Gods Loved was playing for a little bit while I wrote this fanfic. I actually had to change the song because it was too damn cheery compared to the fanfic XD**

**Now I'm listening to Dream Theater's Twelve-Step Suite, which is an awesome song. Anyway, I bet you're wondering what Sanae's evil scheme is. I'm not telling you, but I have a somewhat comical (and appealing to a select handful of individuals...I wonder if Azure is one such person?) scene after Sanae does what she plans...assuming she succeeds!**

**On the note of the dead maid-chou, at first, I was gonna have Sakuya get away, but I decided against it after thinking about how it would play out. Also, I fixed the soundtrack issue on my WinMUGEN Plus! I'm a happy man. I haz Kyouko and Yoshika now too :3**

**Kyouko's sprite is just too adorable! And the remix of her theme I use when I fight her makes it even cuter! Is this what they call getting moe'd to death?**


	12. Chapter 12: Complete Darkness

**Another chapter in the story of the two (three if you count Mima; I don't because she's not at the Moriya Shrine) evil goddesses of Gensokyo. This chapter mostly focuses on Mima and her crew, as the title may imply. I can't really think of anything to say, other than that when you first read Mima's name in this chapter, you should start playing the ZUN remix of Reincarnation. So I know have Reincarnation as chapter 7, and Complete Darkness as chapter 12…methinks I need an Angel's Legend somewhere.**

* * *

><p><em><strong>COUNTDOWN TO ARMAGEDDON. NIGHT ONE. 60 HOURS REMAIN.<strong>_

* * *

><p><em><em>"They're all here," Sanae said. "Do it, Suwako. Whatever you're going to do to shelter the shrine, get on top of it."

"Right…" Suwako stepped outside, and focused. As easy as creation of earth was, doing it for things like this were a little trickier. But before long, a semi-spherical chunk of rock shot out of the ground around the shrine, and closed itself in, effectively sealing the Moriya Shrine away from the rest of Gensokyo via a bubble of stone. And it was wide enough that one could still reach the cellar, in which rested the unfaithful that were rooted out of the crowd like weeds. 2,500 people arrived at first, and a bit more than half of them now sat in that basement. With so many sacrifices, Suwako was certain that the two would be fine for a very long time; long enough to carefully reshape Gensokyo from scratch the way she and Sanae saw fit.

"I like your style of thinking. Nobody gets in, and nobody gets out."

"It's the best way of ensuring that everybody's at the shrine for the apocalypse."

* * *

><p>"Good heavens, Marisa, you're sick!"<p>

"What? No, I'm not. I'm perfectly fine, ze." Marisa and Alice were sitting across each other at the table for dinner. Tonight was hot soup, and it was delicious! "And I had no idea you were such a great cook, ze! I might start coming over for dinner _every_ night!"

"Maybe you should. But of course you're sick!"

"I have no idea what you're…talking…" It hit her! Marisa should have been suspicious from the start when Alice was so open and affectionate toward her as opposed to her usual attitude! The dollmaker had gone yandere for Marisa! Marisa's face turned a pale blue as the realization (and so-called sickness) hit her and her face locked onto her soup. She wouldn't have seen it if she weren't looking for it; there were hints of purple in her soup! Alice had poisoned her! "Y-You…-cough cough- you poisoned me!"

"You're delusional," Alice proclaimed. "The sickness must have gotten your brain. You poor thing! Here, let's get you to bed!"

"Hold it right there," two other voices demanded at the same time.

"M-M…" Now Alice's face was the one going pale.

Marisa looked delighted, though. "M…-cough cough- Mima-sama! I've…" _THUD!_ The mad witch of the Forest of Magic was out, and foaming at the mouth.

"…I-I swear," Alice said in horror. "It's not what it looks like! Her soup isn't poisoned, I swear!"

"I'll be the judge of that," Mima said, walking over to Marisa's bowl and lifting the unconscious and foamy-mouthed witch off of the floor. Looking down at the soup, Mima ran a finger through, and put the finger to her tongue. "…Alice is lying. The soup is poisoned with a poison that can render humans unconscious in less than a minute and if they're not treated, can kill them in a day."

"…!"

"Yuka, hold Marisa for a little bit, would you?"

"Yes, Mima-sama."

"Now then, Alice." Mima turned to the dollmaker, and asked "What has gotten into your mind that you'd poison my little Marisa?"

"…I'm sorry," Alice said, backing into a corner. Using her dolls wouldn't help here; Mima would crush them like flies. Or she would detonate one, which would cause a chain reaction that would easily destroy Alice's house, and Alice with it. Dolls weren't an option in her own house because of the very gunpowder she decided to stuff them with. Irony.

"Sorry won't save you. Where did you get this poison, and who has the antidote?"

"…I forgot," Alice lied. Bad choice. She knew that when in the blink of an eye, Mima was right in front of her, Alice's blue eyes being stared right into by the bright green of Mima's.

"I'll ask you once more before I progress from questioning to interrogation, and then to inquisition. _Where is the antidote at?_"

"I swear, I don't know!"

"…that was your last chance." Mima turned, held her hand out, and magically grasped the first doll she laid eyes on. And in a few seconds' time, the doll was in Mima's hand, being gripped so tightly that even Yuka at the doorway could hear the porcelain of the doll's skin cracking. "Every time you don't answer my questions, starting now…" _CRASH!_ The doll shattered in Mima's hand, sending bits of porcelain and gunpowder everywhere. "I'll destroy a doll. And if I run out of dolls, I'll start destroying your furniture. In the event that you're stubborn enough to not tell me anything at that point, I'll destroy not just your house, but the entire Forest of Magic!"

"Y-You'd do that just for a little bottle of medicine? Ha!"

"…" _CRASH!_ "Don't dare mock me; your bravado will cost you dearly, I assure you. I'm sure Shinki would do the same for you, and I'm certain that if it were Marisa who poisoned you, she'd cough up the antidote in a heartbeat, and not just because she'd have Shinki staring her down. Because it would be the right thing to do, and even Marisa wouldn't throw away lives over, how did you put it? A little bottle of medicine?"

"…"

"Where is it, Alice? I'm a very busy woman, and you're wasting my time."

"Eirin made it."

_CRASH!_ Another doll gone. That was three now. "I don't want to know who made it. I want to know _where it is_, at this very instant, and I refer to the bottle you intended to use to cure Marisa."

"…I have it," Alice said.

"May I have it? I don't appreciate you trying to poison my apprentice."

"It's-" _CRASH!_ Four dolls destroyed.

"I want you to think _very_ carefully about how you finish that sentence, Alice. If you bullshit me again, the next doll to go is that little Shanghai that follows you everywhere."

"I-It's all yours! Take it! I insist! Have whatever you want, Lady Mima!" Alice frantically reached under her clothes and pulled out a necklace with a little bottle filled with blue medicine attached to the end. "Here! Take it! I don't want any trouble, alright?"

Mima yanked the bottle off the rest of the necklace, snapping the necklace in two and ripping the cork off the bottle in the process. "Thank you," Mima said cheerfully, going from an aggressive monster to one of the happiest-sounding beings in all of Gensokyo. "But let me establish this. If you _ever_ think about doing something stupid like this to Marisa ever again, consider tonight's events before you act on those thoughts. I won't be nearly as forgiving if this happens again."

"Shinki would find you," Alice threatened in fear.

"I know. That's why I wouldn't dare hurt you. But, of course, gunpowder is a volatile thing, and…accidents happen. Before I go, I have one more question, and you'd better answer me truthfully here. Are you the person responsible for burning Marisa's house down?"

"!"

"_Are you_?"

"…y-yes."

"When you're done taking care of any damage to your own property, I expect you to rebuild Marisa's house from the ground up. And just to be sure, I'm having Marisa oversee the construction, and if there are problems, I'll make certain she lets either Yuka or myself know about it."

"Y-Yes, Lady Mima!" Alice got down on her knees, and said "I'll start working on it right away! So, if you will kindly excuse me…"

"Do it tomorrow. You have dolls to fix." And with that, Mima started toward the doorway, following Yuka out of the dollmaker's house.

"You're awfully merciful today, Mima-sama," Yuka said once the two were outside. Then she opened up Marisa's jaw, set her body upright, and said "Bottoms up."

Mima poured the medicine down her apprentice's throat, and before it kicked in, Mima said "Merciful? I have no idea what you're talking about." Mima opened the palm of her hand to show it was filled with gunpowder from the destroyed dolls, and that she'd been dropping it in a trail leading straight back into Alice's house. The house where lots of explosive dolls were. And Mima set the end of the trail on fire. "Let's go." And so the two continued deeper into the Forest of Magic, a particular smile working across Mima's face when a few moments later, she could clearly see a brilliant flash of light from behind, and the sounds of explosions and Alice screaming hysterically.

"Oh, my, that was quite a display. Good thing Marisa-"

"-cough cough- I've never been so happy to see you da ze!"

"Oh, speak of the human. Hello, Marisa."

"Hey, put me down!" Marisa started struggling to get out of Yuka's grip, shouting "I can walk on my own da ze! Put me down!"

"Put her down," Mima said. "Do you mind if the two of us stay with you at your mansion until Alice finishes repaying her debt?"

"Not in the least."

* * *

><p>"We've found them," Nazrin shouted from across the Palanquin Ship. "We've got them in sight, Murasa."<p>

"That's _Captain_ Murasa," the ghostly sailor proclaimed, standing at the front of the deck from which she could see clear across Gensokyo. "But it's good to hear. Where are they at?"

Nazrin pointed down to a lump in the ground that wasn't there before; big enough to encase a shrine. "There. What should we do?"

"Ready the anchors. We strike in the morning on my command. Remember, _don't_ kill Hijiri!"

"What about Nue?"

"…kill her if you have to. Try not to, though; I doubt Hijiri would appreciate us killing her allies. Meaning make the death toll _minimal_; only aim for the miko, her shrine, and that bubble around it."

"Aye-aye, Captain!"

Murasa could feel herself light up with joy at those words. It'd been way too long since she'd heard that from anybody.

* * *

><p><strong>Arisu-no-home go BOOM! I couldn't help myself from saying that XD<strong>

**A lot of times in my works, the best thing to listen to is Touhou music. I think that means I have a very ZUN-ish style of writing, and I certainly hope so! I know that songs I write have a sort of Touhou-esque flavor to them, but I don't even begin to compare with the god that is ZUN.**

**If this were a comedy fic, ZUN would descend from the heavens to unleash some beer-powered smiting on Sanae for not being a good girl.**

**Anyway, since the best thing to listen to is Touhou music, I hope to someday write a chapter where The Eternal Steam Engine is the best soundtrack, or Did You See That Shadow?**

**I love that train sound in them :D just so damn cool. Whenever I hear it, I just go "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" like a train on impulse and pull a string like I'm on a train, making the horn go off. Is it a horn? Doesn't sound like one. How I went from Alice's house exploding to train horns is beyond me :|**

**Whatever.**


	13. Chapter 13: Transient Godhood

**This one's a bit faster than others, so buckle up your seat belts! Once again, no word from the Yasaka Shrine, and this is certainly becoming more about Sanae and Suwako…actually, I might want to change the main characters to Sanae and Mima since they seem to be the big players in this.**

**Well, it looks that way starting with this chapter, at least. Off to edit the story info! *Edits story info***

* * *

><p><em><strong>COUNTDOWN TO ARMAGEDDON. DAY TWO. 48 HOURS REMAIN.<strong>_

* * *

><p><em><em>"We're getting closer," Sanae said to her fellow goddess. "In only two days, Gensokyo will be re-shaped as-" _CRASH!_ "What the hell was that?"

"It would appear that we're under attack, Sanae. Not to worry; nothing can get through this-" _CRASH!_ "They need to be dealt with. Care to do the honors? It's an airborne assault, so I think you'll have a good time with it."

"Right away." The evil miko slid the doors of the Moriya Shrine, and watched a hole open in the stone shield by Suwako's power. It was time to take down this troublesome air raid. And just as Sanae stepped outside, a massive anchor landed just inches away from her, but the miko-turned-goddess didn't flinch. So it was _them_…

* * *

><p>"Enemy spotted," Nazrin shouted to the captain standing at the front of the ship.<p>

"That means there's an opening," Murasa said. These pitch-black skies looked awfully ominous, so the captain wanted to get this done quickly and land the Palanquin Ship to safety before something bad happened. "Right. Drop everything we've got on them all at once! Let's show this Moriya crew just who they're facing."

"Right away!"

Murasa watched with pleasure as at least ten anchors dropped out of the sides of the Palanquin Ship, on a collision course with the bubble of earth that shielded the Moriya Shrine. But then her battle-driven joy turned to shock as a familiar face came from seemingly out of nowhere. Drawing a sword from the side of her military uniform, Murasa said "For Hijiri's sake, I have to eliminate you, Sanae."

"Extermination is _my_ job," Sanae said, bolting right past the ghostly captain. Her focus wasn't the captain, but the ship. She'd get around to Murasa once this ship was gone.

* * *

><p>"I like how you think, Mima-sama!"<p>

"Of course, there's still the niggling detail of this supposed bubble of earth that guards the Moriya Shrine. However, I'm sure between me, you, Yuka, and a duplicate, we'll be more than able to destroy the bubble _and_ the shrine. Then I can seize their faith for myself."

"But you don't have a shrine, ze."

"Sadly, I _do_ lack a shrine, but not for long. Where do you think Yuka is at this moment?"

"Not sure. She said…ah. I see what you did, ze. Clever."

"Thank you." Mima stood up to her feet, and asked "Would you like to accompany me in checking on her progress? And Alice's as well?"

"Sure! But…what's Alice doing, ze?"

"Just repaying a little debt by fixing your house. It simply won't do if my apprentice has nowhere to call home."

"Right, let's go, ze!" Marisa grabbed her broom and her hat, and made her way to the front door of Yuka's dream mansion! Lavish as it was, Marisa preferred her humble and messy abode, but that was just her.

* * *

><p><strong>Soon after; Hakurei Shrine…<strong>

"Well done, Yuka!"

"Many thanks, Mima-sama. Construction isn't really my strong suit, but I think I did well." Yuka crossed her arms proudly at the reconstructed Hakurei Shrine.

"It's wonderful…Marisa, what's bothering you?"

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing ze." Lies. What was bothering her was that, as much as she enjoyed to annoy and tease Alice, when Mima and her went to see her, the dollmaker looked outright terrified to see Mima. Not to mention that there were some pretty nasty burns all over her…just what had Mima done to her?

"There's no room to worry about that dollmaker for now," Mima said. "For now, you have to focus on your own agenda, which hopefully doesn't involve trying to overthrow me. Much like how I'm focused mostly on my own agenda of eliminating this Moriya crew. We strike tonight!" And with that, the evil spirit of the Hakurei Shrine…no, the evil god of the Hakurei Shrine, entered her residence to figure out a strategy. Destroying a bubble of earth created by an earth goddess would be no easy task. Perhaps today would be another day to use her amulet. _I need to smoke_, Mima told herself, reaching into her clothes and procuring the smoking device she'd picked up in Makai.

* * *

><p>"Sanae, what are you doing," Suwako asked. "It's far too late for you to get a sacrifice. It's eleven already.""I know," Sanae said. "Just a few more extras here and there for good measure. Just go with it."<p>

"I suppose…don't do anything stupid; I'm not losing two wars to Kanako, even if I have to throw you under the bus to ensure it."

"Then it's good that there are no buses in Gensokyo. And you have my word; Kanako won't defeat you in this war," Sanae assured as the youkai on the altar was sacrificed. Today they were sacrificed. The day after tomorrow, they would die in the apocalypse. And from every day after that, they would be doomed to eternity as one of Sanae's sacrifices. Because Sanae's plan was perfect…

* * *

><p><em><strong>COUNTDOWN TO ARMAGEDDON. NIGHT TWO. 36 HOURS REMAIN.<strong>_

* * *

><p><em><em>"Sanae, you'd better explain yourself," Suwako demanded, more than a little pissed off at this bold and daring move. The frog goddess wasn't sure what happened; one second she was all good and well and the next thing she knew, her limbs were tied tightly and her hat rested behind Sanae on the throne of the Moriya Shrine. "What is the meaning of this treachery?"

"The meaning is mutiny," the miko replied. "You're weak, Suwako. You're too damn kind to be an evil goddess, so I shall take your power. Every last ounce of it~"

"I'll put you down myself!"

"Kill her," Sanae said. "Now. Before she makes good on her word." And in a matter of seconds, Sanae smiled with delight as Suwako was placed on the altar, and even more delight as Sanae herself was handed a knife. "Very well. I'll do the sacrifice myself." Sanae slammed her hand down on Suwako's chest, and said in a powerful tone "Tonight is a big night for the Moriya Shrine. Suwako Moriya will be sacrificed, and the blending of her blood with mine will allow me to seize her power. Anybody who is faithful to Suwako instead of me, leave now, devote your faith to me, or learn what happens to those who defy Sanae Kochiya. Choose…now!" Sanae punctuated her sentence with the swift plunging of the knife through both her own hand and Suwako. The goddess was most pleased with this sacrifice, and it showed when Suwako started bleeding profusely from not just her wound, but every available spot in her body that she could possibly bleed from. "You feel it, Suwako, don't you? You're getting weaker by the second."

"S-Sanae…you're crazy!"

"You're slowly losing your godhood. By the time you've bled out, you won't be a god, but just an immortal human with no powers at all other than your inability to die permanently. And me…I shall become _a god!_ An even greater god than I already am! The powers of earth and the skies, and the faith of Mishaguji itself!" Shoving the knife a little deeper to speed up the process, Sanae said "Even gods bow down to me. And when I come for you, you will bow too. You, and Reimu, and Kanako, and anybody else brave enough to stand in my way. And if you don't bow for me, you'll die for me."

"You…" Sanae's words hit home, though; Suwako could feel her power being drained with each passing second.

"I promised you earlier that Kanako wouldn't defeat you in this war…" Twisting the knife violently to finish the sacrifice, Sanae said "I never made such promises about myself." There was now a lifeless ex-god in the altar, who would resurrect soon enough. And now, it was time to-

_BANG!_ Sanae barely managed to leap out of the way; a massive laser tore the Moriya Shrine clean in half! That meant it got through Suwako's shield! Whoever was behind this was obviously not in the mood to play games. That was fine. Sanae would deal with them now.

"Nice shot, Mima-sama! You tore the shrine clean in half!"

"The fight isn't over yet," Mima said warily, pointing to the remaining half of the shrine. As the cloud of dust dissipated, a figure could be made out with savage bright green eyes. This must have been the goddess of the Moriya Shrine…well, one of them. "Your fight ends here, goddess." Mima pointed the end of her staff to the figure, who was becoming clearer and clearer, and said "Let me educate you on the power of a _true_ god!"

"Power? You…you want to know about power? Ha…ha…ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Sanae's eyes locked straight to her foe's, as she continued "I have become the most powerful being in Gensokyo! Nothing, and I repeat _nothing_ can ever stop me!" Creating a ball of heavily condensed air in her hand, Sanae said "I'll give you to the count of five to leave, and I might even let you go with all your body parts intact! One…" Sanae let off her shot, which spread out quickly and by the time it reached Mima, both the ghost and her two apprentices were blown straight off their feet, as well as anything around them getting torn straight out of the ground. "Five. Come back after my altar is fixed." Sanae turned to the half-wrecked shrine, trying to figure out how she was to resolve this. Her shrine was torn in half and about half of the folks who worshipped her were just eradicated! Whoever did this, they were most certainly interesting…

* * *

><p><strong>I was gonna have Sanae do that in the next chapter, but I figured I could just get it done right then. I assure you, Sanae and Mima will have one hell of a fight; on doomsday even! Then again, Sanae isn't as structured as Suwako is, so for all you know, doomsday might start in the next chapter! Also, remember what I said before about three arcs?<strong>

**The Sanae arc, however short-lived it's probably gonna be, has now begun! I only think it's gonna last 1-3 chapters myself, so can it really be called an arc?**


	14. Chapter 14: Reincarnation, MK2

**This chapter was kinda hard to write, mostly because of a rather distracting scene that featured Suwako and a new problem she's encountered, and it's got nothing to do with probably losing a ton of faith when she went running to Kanako with her tail between her legs. Oh, that happened off-screen I should mention; Suwako came back as goddesses generally will and went back to working with Kanako.**

**I dunno if this Suwako problem will become a sub-plot or not, but I doubt it severely. Alas, the Sanae arc ends here. On to the next one!**

* * *

><p><em><strong>COUNTDOWN TO ARMAGEDDON. DAY THREE. 24 HOURS REMAIN.<strong>_

* * *

><p>The Moriya Shrine was fully repaired. Only it was no longer the Moriya Shrine. In front of the stone building was a large slab of rock that had the words "Kochiya Shrine" carved into it. Word was coming to her that Suwako and Kanako were under the same roof again, effectively making the Yasaka Shrine the Moriya Shrine like it used to be. This war was making a huge turn, as evidenced by the massive white snake that made its seat around Sanae's neck. Mishaguji; the scourge god.<p>

* * *

><p>"Morning," Kanako said to her fellow goddess. "How do you feel since being sacrificed?"<p>

"Horrible," Suwako grouchily replied. "I was sacrificed to and by my own flesh and blood, Mishaguji abandoned me for said flesh and blood, almost all my power is gone, and I've pissed myself three times in the last twelve hours."

"…you may want to have that last one looked at by a doctor," Kanako said, doing her absolute best in a succeeding effort to not grin or laugh at that. "I'm sorry to hear about your newfound incontinence issues, but now do you get why I sealed your old personality away?"

"Yeah, yeah," Suwako said. "I've gone from a goddess with control over a deadly scourge god to what might as well be an immortal human who can't even control her own bladder. I'm going to Eientei like you said." Today was the third day. If Suwako were still in control at the other shrine, today would be the day before the apocalypse, and it would be signaled by catastrophic storms. Part of her wondered if Sanae intended to finish Suwako's doomsday prophecy. Her answer was given when the frog goddess was near-blown off her feet by the wind and drenched by the rain the instant she stepped outside. The door slammed shut with the wind, and as Suwako struggled against the wind a bit to reach ground she could get under, she held her hat tightly to avoid losing it.

"I really have to worry," Kanako said to herself. "That storm looked pretty bad; if Sanae can do that now, I might actually be outmatched." Not much later did she hear Suwako shouting "**Dammit, not again!**"

"She really has to have that looked at," Kanako said quietly to herself. All she could do at this point, sadly, was let Sanae do as she willed. Trying to face a goddess with the power she was born at, as well as Suwako's, multiplied, and with Mishaguji supporting her…trying to fight Sanae at this point would be paramount suicide.

* * *

><p>Mima looked out the doors of the Hakurei Shrine. "Tragic weather we have," the ghost…no, the <em>goddess<em> said. "But we have to beat Sanae _today_ or else there won't be a Gensokyo for me to conquer and terrorize."

"I know, Mima-sama," Marisa said with an unusual gloom and dread. "But there's no way we can fly in that weather, ze. Yuka's at her mansion so we can't get the message to her to help us get there, and I'm not going out there where I could lose my hat in a second. We're stuck here…or I am, at least."

Mima sat down on the floor and started thinking. "Why is it that the one time we actually need Yukari around, she's nowhere to be found?"

"Oh," a third voice chimed in. "Did somebody call me?"

* * *

><p><strong>Some time later; inside the Kochiya Shrine…<strong>

"It's _you_," Sanae said bitterly. "The lady that half-demolished my shrine." Getting up from the throne within the shrine, Sanae continued "I don't like you, or your actions. You're next on the altar; I wonder what kind of power you have inside you?"

"A shame you'll never find out." Charging up magical energy in her hands, Mima said "Let me educate you on how a _true_ goddess does battle!"

* * *

><p>"Well we can't just let them fight as they please," Reimu said, more than frustrated that the storm outside was keeping anybody from reaching Sanae. "With Sanae's new personality and Mima being…well, Mima, those two could destroy Gensokyo <em>way<em> faster than anything else can. We need to get in there, Kanako, and we can't do it unless you man the hell up and try to at least meet Sanae in power." The sky goddess still seemed to be unwilling to try. Reimu knew just how to fix that, even if her words weren't quite assuring. "Mima won't stop until Sanae's broken; physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and every other way. She'll make Sanae beg for death, and then grant her wish."

And in an instant, the sounds of the storm were dying down quickly. "Let's go. In the interest of keeping Sanae alive and well, we have to get over there and stop Mima once and for all." It was sunny again in Gensokyo, and it would be for however long it took to save the day.

* * *

><p><strong>Some time passes…<strong>

A bright green glow emanated from the inside of the inside of the shrine, with brilliant flashes of other colors as well. Two goddesses were battling inside, to the death, and the fight was becoming more and more intense. The structure of the shrine itself was beginning to crumble from the sheer amounts of power being unleashed. If this kept up, Reimu feared, Gensokyo would be destroyed not by Mima and Sanae, but simply by the ungodly amounts of power they were using to combat each other. _This_ was why Reimu sealed away the evil spirit's full power, but that damn star amulet of hers lifted those seals. Going in there would be suicide, but… "Kanako, get back here!"

"I have to make sure Sanae's alright!"

"She'll kill you," Reimu shouted. At some point, somebody had to say it, and the task now fell to Reimu. "Even though they look the same, the girl in that shrine _is not _the Sanae Kochiya you love like a daughter; that girl will murder you in cold blood if she sees you, and don't think for a second that I'm making this up!"

"…"

"All we can do is wait here for the fight to either end or destroy the shrine. If the latter happens, we'll knock Sanae out and try to get her back to normal."

"I guess it's all we can do," Kanako said, sitting down on the ground in front of the shrine. "I hope she's okay…"

Mima's hands and Sanae's were locked to each other in an effort to see who could overpower their opponent first. "Don't bother trying to win this," Sanae said, gaining an advantage while Mishaguji still sat coiled around the throne above them. "If you strike me down, I'll become more powerful than you could possibly imagine!"

"I have quite an imagination. And who ever said I wanted to strike you down?" Summoning an ethereal hand of a familiar, Mima had it reach for her amulet. "_I_ am the superior goddess, Sanae, and I'll prove that right now." The amulet shattered in green sparks, and Mima with it. Where once the evil goddess of the Hakurei Shrine stood, there was now a floating mass of green light.

"Ha! What kind of parlor trick is…wait, _what are you doing_?"

* * *

><p>"I think the fight's over," Reimu said. "The light died down, and-"<p>

"**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! MAKE IT STOP!**"

"Guess not."

"Sanae!" Kanako leapt up to her feet and kicked down the door to the shrine, not willing to be bothered with the short time spent to open it. "Sanae, what's wrong?" Now that she saw Sanae, there was no need to ask what the matter was. A bright green light was covering her body, arcing out at some points, but apparently trying to get in her body. "Sanae!"

The evil miko fell to her knees. Not only was this trick very painful, but Sanae could feel herself losing consciousness. But there was…something else. Was this what demonic possession felt like? Was Mima trying to control her? Too many questions to be asked. She had to pay attention to this green light that was crawling into her body by any means possible. Eye sockets, ears, mouth, nose, every possible entry for this light was being taken, and Sanae was going crazier than usual.

"Sanae, speak to me," Kanako said, sitting down next to the evil miko and holding her tightly. "Are you alright?"  
>"N-No," Sanae said. "I'm bad. I'm not a good girl. I've been bad, Kanako, <em>really<em> bad. I…-gulp-…I killed Suwako just to become more powerful. I'm so sorry, Kanako! I'm-AAAAAAAAAH!"

"Sanae!"

"No…get out of my head!" Sanae stumbled up to her feet, making a very uncoordinated path to the knife rack next to the altar. If Mima wouldn't get out of her head, Sanae would _force_ her out. And if she killed herself in the process, she'd rest peacefully to know that she took Mima with her! Grabbing hold of one of the knives; a task exacerbated by blurring vision, Sanae took aim. She knew exactly where Mima was. In her head.

"Don't do it," Kanako shouted, gripping the miko's arm tightly. "Reimu," she called. "Get in here!"

"Too late," Sanae said, her voice dark again. With just a flick of her arm, Kanako's grip failed and she was sent through the stone walls of the shrine. "The switch has been flipped!" It was time to take what was hers. Walking back to the center of the shrine, she picked up the moon-tipped staff Mima carried with her at all times, and with a snap of her fingers, a blue cape appeared over her shoulders that materialized from characteristic green sparks.

"The last Moriya miko is no more," the miko said, the voices of Sanae and Mima speaking in unison from this one body. "Now, we are one!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>ARMAGEDDON: AVERTED.<strong>_

_**MIMA'S FULL RESURRECTION: COMPLETE.**_

* * *

><p><strong>I've always wanted to do that :D<strong>

**Lemme paraphrase a YouTube comment I've read some time ago so you get it, in case you already don't.**

"**Green hair, blue and white clothes, star-shaped attacks. Yep, Sanae truly is Mima reincarnated."**

**Well, the good news is that Sanae's not a threat anymore. The BAD (or good, depending on your perspective) news is that Mima's a much bigger threat than she was before. For one to become an extremely powerful witch, die, and then resurrect in the body of a living goddess...**

**Dunno about you, but I smell trouble ;)**


	15. Chapter 15: Wishing Well

**I had issues writing this one, but of all the things that could get me out of a rut, I would've never guessed downloading a MUGEN character would be the way out :|**

**I also saw a rather amusing post on Danbooru today, but it's got nothing to do with this fanfic…yet. It had various facial expressions of Koishi, and when it got to "In the presence of something she hates" it had a drawing of her from Koishi Komeiji's Heart-Throbbing Adventure, which made me laugh. Another expression post with Koishi had the "Dominant" Koishi with sparkly eyes, a big smile, and a whip in her hands, which cracked me up for some reason. I wouldn't mind being in the presence of either of these examples of Koishi…**

**I think I might be a masochist :|**

* * *

><p>The Hakurei Shrine was open for business! The only thing was that it lacked a shrine maiden, but was instead taken care of by an ordinary magician who wasn't ordinary in the least. Her, and the most sadistic creature in all of Gensokyo. And it's resident god was better than ever; a powerful ghost who managed to resurrect herself entirely, and in the body of a living god, no less. If her power in the past was great, it was now immeasurable. Through sheer power and force of will, Mima was able to do nearly anything. It felt strange to her inhabiting a new body, but it was something she could get used to if it came with this degree of power. Hundreds of ethereal familiars were scattered across Gensokyo to announce the reconstruction of the Hakurei Shrine, and that it was willing to grant wishes to the residents of Gensokyo with the only price being faith.<p>

And now the first person to make a wish entered. This one was a tengu with one of the most cliché wishes, but a wish held dearly by any who couldn't seem to grant it themselves. "Lady Mima," Momiji said, getting down on her knees before the goddess. "I have a wish to make."

"Then share it," Mima said, her body speaking now as it did before and always would as long as she and her host were united; with the voices of both Mima and Sanae simultaneously. "In exchange for your faith here, I can grant you anything you desire. Just name it, but choose wisely."

"I wish…well…"

"On with it already!"

"I wish Nitori Kawashiro would love me!"

"A love wish, is it? Very well. Thank you for your faith, and your wish is granted. The next time you see Nitori, she'll fall hopelessly in love with you, Momiji. Go find your love, and let her show you just how much she cares."

"I will," Momiji said happily. "Thank you, Lady Mima!" And with that, the white wolf tengu left the shrine with a quickly wagging tail. Nitori loved her now. This was great.

"…I hope that girl knows what she just put herself into," Mima said, the concern in her voice being obviously fake. "My wonderful trick. They give me faith for a wish, and when it turns against them in the worst ways possible, I save them at the last second to make them completely devoted to me and my shrine. Give Momiji a day or two and she'll be in quite a pickle."

"How wonderfully cunning," Yuka complimented. "Yours is among the finest minds in Gensokyo, Mima-sama."

"Well, I don't mean to brag, but…yes. It is."

* * *

><p>Most of the team dispersed after Mima took over Sanae's body. Youmu healed up and set off to find a solution to her Yuyuko problems. Eiki had no reason to stay any longer, and not being at her work was making her antsy. Harumi was taken back to Higan with her since the Suwako incident was done with, leaving only Reimu and Kanako. But they both knew that while one threat was quelled, a much greater one now took its place. If there was one silver lining to this newfound situation, though, it was that while Sanae was the crazy kind of evil, Mima was very refined and structured, and wouldn't destroy Gensokyo. At the least, that worked in their favor. The main crisis that started this was averted, but now Mima was in the body of an honest-to-ZUN goddess. Combined with her own power, that didn't bode well.<p>

"It's a big problem," Reimu said. "You weren't around when Mima was a problem, so you don't know what we're actually up against. And to top that off, Yukari's being…"

"Yukari?"

"A complete asshole, yes."

"I don't generally condone insults like that, but whenever Yukari's around this shrine, something happens. And it's always something irritating that involves the abuse of her border powers."

"That must suck…hey, where's Suwako at?"

"Either Eientei or her room. Best not to seek her out though; she's in a bad mood today after getting sacrificed by Sanae."

"Alright, I guess…" No point in arguing about it. "For now, though, we need a plan to beat Mima. It'll probably take way more than just us to beat her, so we need to find out who else is sane and willing to side with us."

"The tengu and kappa are all fine, and I just remembered that I have to visit Eientei myself. I'm sure Eirin can make some sort of medicine to cure this insanity, or can resolve it somehow."

* * *

><p>"I've been wondering why my patients were getting more and more mutilated," Eirin said as she looked at an x-ray of some youkai's shattered bones. "Take this youkai for example. Every bone in his body is shattered and most of his skin was peeled off. It was by sheer chance that somebody found him around here and brought him in. Now, this wave of insanity is an issue…I should have a medicine for mental stabilization in storage somewhere. I'll go get it; would you two kindly find Reisen for me?"<p>

"Right away," Kanako said.

Eirin reached for the doorknob, but stopped for a second and turned to face Kanako. "Oh, also, next time you see Suwako, check if the…ahem, _products_ I gave her are satisfactory."

"Okay?"

"Thanks." As Eirin stepped out of the office, she said "Don't forget; poker night is at Yukari's this week!"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Kanako said back.

"Poker night," Reimu asked. "What the hell are you doing playing poker?"

"Me and the ladies get together ever Friday night for some poker. Myself, Eirin, Yukari, and Byakuren are the group, and we pick a different spot every week. It would seem that this week's poker night is at Mayohiga. Last week we didn't have poker night because of the state of emergency, and-"

"This isn't a state of emergency! Mima's taken over your shrine maiden's body!"

"Even gods need to relieve stress, Reimu. I happen to do it with poker."

"I'd think you would try much harder to resolve this to get Sanae back to normal."

"Normally, yes, but I'm under a lot of stress with this whole crisis going on." Heading out of the room, Kanako changed the subject. "How about we start finding Reisen?"

* * *

><p>"Thank you for your services, Alice," Mima said. "You may go now."<p>

"Y-Yes! Right away! Thank you, Lady Mima!"

Mima watched the dollmaker run off in terror. Being respected by all of Gensokyo was one thing, but if all of Gensokyo feared her…that would be the day. For now, though, she took another look at Marisa's newly-built house in a mirror she'd enchanted to show her anything in Gensokyo that she wanted; Marisa's house in this case. She had to stay here at the Hakurei Shrine in case anybody else was willing to make a wish. "Just like new, isn't it?"

"Exactly like my house da ze! Good thing you showed up before my house burned down, or else you'd probably lose your amulet, ze."

"Yes, good thing indeed…ah, another visitor." This one was a vampire in a light pink dress with medium-length blue hair. "Can I help you?"

"I'm here to make a wish," Remilia said. "I've heard that you can grant _any_ wish. How true is that?"

"Even more true than the truth that sunlight is harmful to you. Before I grant that wish of yours, however, perhaps we shall chat for a bit, you and I."

"…I don't see why not."

* * *

><p>The source of the wave of madness had been located, and Eirin was far from pleased that Reisen was the one that started it all. "What were you thinking," Eirin asked angrily. "Gensokyo is in a state of complete mayhem thanks to you, Reisen!"<p>

"B-But…I was just following your orders!"

Now the angry stares of Reimu and Kanako moved over to Eirin. "Perhaps you've gone mad yourself; I never issued such an order! I was right at Kaguya's side for the entire duration of the Sanae crisis! Not once did I take a single step away from her!"

"But, I swear, you were right here, telling me to spread madness across Gensokyo! And Sanae was even there with-"

"_Sanae_ was there!" Now the picture was coming together for Eirin. "That girl we had in here a few months ago because of an anchor injury; the one that could change her form…I can't believe she had the audacity to assume my identity and give you those ridiculous orders. I'll sort out your punishment later; for now we need to start cleaning up your mess."

"Yes, ma'am."

* * *

><p>"So," Mima asked as she exhaled a cloud of lost souls. "What was that wish you wanted me to grant exactly?"<p>

Remilia straightened up her posture in the chair she was sitting in, and after a bit of hesitation, said "I want you to resurrect Sakuya Izayoi; my head maid."

"Hmm…bringing the dead back to life isn't easy business. I should have it done by the end of the day, and your precious maid will be faithfully at your side." As Remilia turned to leave, a wicked grin cracked across Mima's face. That was exactly the kind of wish she had to grant. Bringing somebody back from the dead was probably the greatest wish Mima could grant…for herself! It was a wish that had "disaster" written all over it, and judging by the sadistic joy on Yuka's face and the mixture of happiness and fear on Marisa's, the two knew exactly what Mima was planning to do with that wish. "Alright, ladies. We have a maid to resurrect."

"M-Mima-sama…you're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are you ze?"

"Why so afraid, Marisa? You were so much more carefree when you were younger. Or perhaps your faith in me is diminishing."

"A-Ah! I swear, my faith in you has only increased if anything da ze!"

"I'm glad to hear it. I do rather wish you were the same as when you were younger…you've dyed your hair since then. Red was such a cute hair color on you too. No matter, we need to resurrect this Sakuya. Afterwards, I want you two to go around and spread the word that Mima, the goddess of the Hakurei Shrine, will grant any one wish to anybody in exchange for faith."

"Yes, Mima-sama…"

* * *

><p><strong>Marisa's looking awfully worried here. Almost like she wants to switch sides. But Marisa would never do that to Mima-sama, so she's stuck working for the Dark Side of the Force. Remember at the start of the chapter when I said I got an idea for the fanfic by downloading MUGEN characters?<strong>

**Familiar with Final Sakuya? Or her other two aliases; Sakuya Brando and Padio…oshi-**

***WRYYY-knifed***


	16. Chapter 16: Back in Black

**This story has really progressed smoothly. Compare the very beginning of this fanfic; when Sanae was just an average miko sweeping her shrine grounds late at night, to the shit that's gone down up to this point. Sanae went mad, Suwako switched sides, Mima made a comeback, and by this point I've gotten nearly every character that isn't from the PC-98 era involved, and one that was! Oh, did you know I write my fanfics with watermarks in the backgrounds?  
><strong>

**It used to be Sanae drawn in a KKHTA (Koishi Komeiji's Heart-Throbbing Adventure) style, but when Mima took over her body, I changed the watermark to a picture of Mima smoking. Why? Because my Mima smokes lost souls now and again, and because it's probably the best Mima image on the internet. If you find a better one, please do share; I love me some more Mima-sama!**

* * *

><p><strong>The following day…<strong>

"You've had quite a few wishes granted, Mima-sama."

"Indeed I have, Yuka. Indeed I have…" This united body of Sanae and Mima was beginning to look a bit more like Mima, as her hair was now styled like the evil spirit's and the miko outfit worn yesterday was swapped out for a slightly smaller variation of Mima's outfit. It was now as though Sanae were pulling off a perfect cosplay of Mima, complete with Mima's favorite smoking device. "Perhaps it's time to cash in my investments now." And with a snap of her fingers, those wishes she'd granted all across Gensokyo would throw this hopeful world into despair; a despair that only Mima would be able to end, be it through freeing the hopeless from their fate or by letting the dark nature behind her pacts blossom into something truly evil.

* * *

><p><strong>Youkai Mountain; kappa village…<strong>

"Nitori, what is this?" Yesterday, Nitori was all lovey-dovey with Momiji, but now she woke up to find herself handcuffed to the ceiling in a cell that had the NitoriTech logo on all the walls.

"Momiji, honey, you know I love you, but I need to see if you're tough enough to _deserve_ my love." Nitori stepped out of the room and pressed a button, then continued with her mouth up to a microphone. "This is a little contraption I put together to test that strength," Nitori continued via the speakers in the cell. "See the little holes in the walls and the ceiling? They're…well, let's just say my plumbing bill's going to be real high this month." Just before pressing another button, Nitori said "If you can get out before you drown, you've earned my love." And once the button was pressed, water started pouring out from all the holes in the walls and ceiling.

Momiji started to panic. This was the purpose of this little cell? To see if she "deserved" Nitori's love and to drown her if she didn't? Just where had Momiji gone wrong?

* * *

><p><strong>Scarlet Devil Mansion; basement…<strong>

"Sakuya!" Sakuya had been gone for a few days, and nobody really bothered to explain to Flandre what the circumstances were behind it. She was just happy to see the head maid was okay again.

"…"

"…Sakuya?"

"ZA WARUDO!" And by the time Sakuya allowed time to flow normally, Flandre was drained of every last drop of blood, some of which dripped off of Sakuya's chin. So _this_ was how Lady Remilia dined? …she needed more! Sakuya needed more blood! She desired the blood of vampires, so she would get it! Because a person doesn't see themselves unless looking in a mirror, Sakuya wouldn't have noticed her hair changing from its natural silver to a blonde color, nor would she see her eyes change from blue to a bright and radiant red. This would be a dark day in the Scarlet Devil Mansion. And afterwards, Sakuya needed to report to her master; the powerful witch responsible for her resurrection.

Were it not for Mima's influence alone, Sakuya would go mad with the realization of what she'd done. But because of that influence, not only did she enjoy it, but she wanted to continue doing it until every last drop of blood in Gensokyo had ran through her lips and down her throat.

_"What have you done,"_ Mima's voice shouted in Sakuya's head. _"I need them alive; these people are no good to me dead! Drink all you want, Sakuya, but keep them __**alive!**__"_

* * *

><p><strong>Moriya Shrine…<strong>

"Something's wrong," Reimu said. "It's like my miko instinct is telling me my shrine's back up, but I know nobody told me about it getting repaired. Kanako, do you-"

"Ayayayaya!"

"You again? What's the news this time, Aya?"

Aya held out the latest issue of the Bunbunmaru newspaper, and said "Read all about it, Reimu! The Hakurei Shrine's been repaired and this Mima person's running it!"

"_Mima_! Give me that," Reimu demanded, tearing the newspaper from Aya's hands. "Let's see…here it is! I went down to the Hakurei Shrine's wreckage yesterday only to find that it wasn't wreckage; that the Hakurei Shrine was standing as good as new! When I stepped in, I was surprised to see that Reimu wasn't anywhere to be found, and instead I was greeted by somebody who introduced themselves as Mima; goddess of the Hakurei Shrine. She had a striking resemblance to Sanae Kochiya, but the two are certainly different entities. In the most recent incident, Sanae had gone mad and nearly destroyed Gensokyo, but being around Mima is just…you can feel the evil radiating from her, and the sheer power that she controls. I heavily advise all readers of the Bunbunmaru to avoid the shrine, and to spread this advice, until notified of a change in the Hakurei Shrine's status."

"Quite a story, isn't-" _SMACK!_ Aya was stunned. Reimu just smacked her right across the face, with her own newspaper!

"You should have notified me first thing," Reimu and Kanako shouted in unison.

"That's my shrine you're letting Mima take over," Reimu continued angrily. "You didn't bother to stop and think something was wrong when I wasn't around and you were greeted by a total stranger?"

"W-Well, it's not that…it's that I kind of figured you were solving an incident…"

"**I am solving an incident!**" Gripping Aya by the collar, the red-faced red-white miko continued angrily "I'm trying to figure out when my shrine was rebuilt, why nobody told me about it, and most importantly, what Mima's intentions are!" And just after her shouting, Reimu saw the edge of a smoky cloud of lost souls.

"I think you already know my intentions," Mima said, entering the Moriya Shrine. "But I figured you'd be a little more grateful; I went to all the trouble of gathering all your little knick-knacks and replacing others. I even had Marisa get your yin-yang orbs back. Thanking me won't kill you, Reimu."

"…" Reimu's gohei pointed straight at Mima. "My shrine isn't yours to claim, Mima. Now give it back or I'll have to take it back by force!"

"Let me explain two very important points, Reimu," Mima said, inhaling from her smoking thing. "For starters, I come in peace…this time, at least. For the time being, I have no intention of harming you or anybody else unimportant to this phase of the plan." Exhaling another cloud of lost souls directly at Reimu, she continued "Secondly. What are you going to reclaim your shrine with? All you have is your gohei and spell cards, and I promise you that I'm not relinquishing a shrine over a silly danmaku battle. Your yin-yang orbs are in your shrine, but if you even wanted to _touch_ them, you'd have to get past Marisa, Yuka, and myself, and I'm _much_ stronger than last time we met."

Reimu waved off the cloud, doing her best to not breathe in that nasty stuff. "I have Kanako and Suwako on my side."

"A member of the old maid's alliance who won't dare hurt me because of my host body, and a goddess who barely has any power anymore and no control over her bladder…I hate to say it, but you might be a greater threat than both of them combined."

"Wait, how do you know all of that?"

"I always study up, and Aya here was kind enough to let me go through the tengu's database on _everybody_ under my guise as Sanae Kochiya. So now I'm up to speed on who is who around Gensokyo, _and_ I know just how to manipulate their weaknesses and crush them."

"Ayayaya…ya…uh-oh." And in the blink of an eye, Aya was out of there.

"You're beat, Reimu. Just give me a day or two and I'll happily return your shrine, and even give you all your trinkets with it. I have somebody in the Scarlet Devil Mansion preparing the place for me to move in, and once I'm there the Hakurei Shrine is all yours, okay?"

"Do you really think I'll just let you do as you please, Mima?"

"I was rather hoping it, yes. See, I know the fight to settle this is probably going to boil down to just us two, but I want it to be something that will be remembered for all time; not just some silly squabble between a miko and a god."

"What if I were to bring in another god," a third person asked, a hint of threat to her voice. Standing outside the shrine was a black-white witch with a broom steady in her hand.

"M-Marisa? You're turning on me?"

"I have to, ze. Mima-sama, you're like a mother to me, but I can't let you do this! Tomorrow I'm going to Makai, and taking Alice with me."

"You…"

"I'm sorry, Mima-sama, but it's what I have to do, ze."

"Marisa…" Mima placed her hands happily on Marisa's shoulders, and said "I'm proud of you. Remember all those years ago when I said you have to become your own master? You've finally taken that step. Congratulations; you're now just as much a witch as me. Do what you think you have to do, but I'm not going to hold back if the two of us have to fight." Mima stepped out of the shrine, and took off. There was still important work to be done, and Mima needed to be even more certain it all got done if people from Makai were getting involved.

"Mima-sama…thank you."

* * *

><p><strong>The following day; Pandaemonium, Makai<strong>

"Hello, love," Shinki said happily. "I've been worrying about you. What brings you back home on this wonderful day?"

"There's a problem in Gensokyo," Alice said. "We're pretty sure we'll need your help to make things right again. Even Marisa doesn't think we can do it without your help."

"For Marisa to be worried," Shinki mused, materializing a tray of tea and assorted sweets in her hands, "I can only wonder who the culprit is."

"Mima. She's…Marisa, get out of there!"

"What's in this door, ze?"

"Alice's old room," Shinki said with a hint of nostalgia. "She was so little back then. You know, after you four came through Makai, Alice tried even harder at dollmaking so she could defeat you once and for all, but in the end she just made a Marisa mannequin, complete with a witch outfit…although, you seem to have changed your look since then."

"Could you please stop," Alice asked, turning a beet red. "You're embarrassing me."

"Relax, love. You're too uptight all the time; if you love Marisa then just say so."

"W-What? I don't love her!" Now Alice was even redder, if that was possible. "I hate her! She's so damn stupid and doesn't even care if she lives or dies; that witch just-" Alice was interrupted by Shinki's finger being placed on her lips.

"If you say so," Shinki said with a wink. "I made you, so who should know what you think better than me?" Straightening her posture, the goddess of Makai asked "So you were saying about an incident? I usually try to stay in Makai, so why should I get involved, love?"

"Add the part where Mima destroyed your house," Marisa shouted from Alice's room. "And when she forced you to rebuild mine, ze!"

"…" Shinki did not look amused.

* * *

><p><strong>Remember a couple dozen reviews ago when somebody asked if I could get Shinki involved? Well, there's your Shinki :D<strong>

**This fanfic is turning into something truly epic, and if you ask me, it'd make an awesome anime. Not an RPG, though; Reimu hasn't actually done much. Seriously, though, how badass would this be as an anime? I almost wanna get this translated to Japanese and show it to some anime-making Touhou fans and ask "what do you think?" Only problem is that my Japanese is horrendous and I can't read the language for the life of me. Alright, time for a "big names review"**

**Team Mima: Mima, Yuka Kazami, EX-Sakuya Izayoi, Sanae Kochiya (Mima's host body), **

**Team Gensokyo: Reimu Hakurei, Kanako Yasaka, Marisa Kirisame, Alice Margatroid, Shinki**

…**yeah, place your bets. I'm betting heavily on Team Gensokyo personally. But, that **_**is**_** an EX-Sakuya there…hmm...**


	17. Chapter 17: A Plot to Fool Death Himself

**EX-Sakuya can be pretty scary. And Aya can be annoying. While we're on the topic of annoying stuff, lemme just throw something out here because it's driven me crazy for months.**

**In MUGEN, people who have Ricepigeon's Sanae probably have the same two complaints as me. First off, her voice, while it's adorable, it gets annoying as shit when she keeps saying the same thing whenever you knock her down. And secondly, the greater of two evils, her AI will ALWAYS block your attacks, and she doesn't ever let off an attack of her own. Seriously, I was using Final Sakuya earlier today in arcade mode and I was able to charge my power up all the way and Sanae didn't do a thing except jump around in my face D:**

**I'm glad Mima took over her body!**

* * *

><p><strong>Bunbunmaru Newspaper; front page.<strong>

_**Knife-branding killer on the loose!**_

_Frequent buyers of the Bunbunmaru may recall that Sakuya Izayoi was among the list of the deceased during the recent Sanae crisis. Just yesterday, I went to Eientei for some sleeping pills and learned that at least five people were murdered in a killing spree using golden knives as the weapons as well as draining the victims of all their blood after death! Ms. Izayoi's knives were silver, so I don't think she's the culprit, plus the fact that she was killed herself before these murders even began and that she's not a vampire. I asked to see the corpses and Eirin Yagokoro let me take a peek, and the punctures certainly look like wounds that can only be caused by the likes of Sakuya Izayoi. I think I speak for all of us when I ask "Who is this vampiric Sakuya copycat?"_

_More on this as it develops._

* * *

><p>"Aya's too opinionated to be a news reporter," Mima said, reading through the newest edition of the Bunbunmaru. "Don't you agree, Sakuya?"<p>

"Indeed she is, Lady Mima. Shall I…" During the pause, a few golden knives appeared in Sakuya's hand. "Deal with her?"

"No need. She doesn't suspect you, and she can't possibly suspect me…oh, look at this page. These two articles here sound rather interesting."

"Let me see…"

* * *

><p><em><strong>War declared on Mima!<strong>_

_Alice Margatroid came into my office yesterday afternoon with a declaration of war in her hands. Apparently, she was sent by her mother, who would be arriving with an army the following day or the one after; that is to say, today or tomorrow. Upon asking questions about the enigmatic dollmaker's family, I learned that her mother is none other than Shinki; the goddess of Makai! Such a visit would normally be an honor to all residents of Gensokyo, but with a declaration of war out on Mima, she ought to be concerned!_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Mima's location discovered!<strong>_

_I went back to the Hakurei Shrine earlier today; before I printed this edition of the Bunbunmaru, to find that Mima was nowhere to be seen and Reimu was back in charge again. When asked about Mima's whereabouts, all Reimu said was "Mima gave me the shrine willingly; she's living in the Scarlet Devil Mansion now. I don't know what her plans are, but as the Hakurei shrine maiden, it's my duty to deal with it." I haven't seen Reimu this serious before! Between this and the above article, things are starting to look bad for the green-haired goddess!_

* * *

><p>"…"<p>

"Lady Mima, are you alright?"

"Kill the reporter. I appreciate her warning me that Shinki is coming to Gensokyo specifically to wage war with me, but I _don't_ appreciate her listing my location in the very next article and saying I should be worried! Wait…actually, don't kill her. I simply want you to rough her up a bit and bring her to me, _alive_. I have a much better idea than simply killing any potential threats to my plans."

"Right away, Lady Mima." And in an instant, Sakuya was gone, dropping a playing card behind her and leaving the echo of a wicked cackle.

"…Aya's going to have some explaining to do. As for me…I need to do some work." Mima got up from the elegant throne that once was sat upon by the Scarlet Devil. Mima needed to find Yuka; she knew her (currently) favored apprentice was somewhere. Perhaps in the new torture chamber? Yes…that was the most likely place for Yuka to be. Behind that massive steel door, deep underground where nobody can hear you scream.

* * *

><p><strong>Bunbunmaru building; editor'sprinter's/writer's/photographer's/owner's office**

Aya was typing away for the next edition of the Bunbunmaru. She was the only person who worked on it, so her speed was a necessity! So far, she had nothing to follow up with on the subject of the knife-branding murderer, but the crow tengu hoped to get something soon. Then there was a knocking on her door. "The door's unlocked," Aya called to whoever was knocking. "Come on in." And when the door opened, Aya froze in shock. "S-S…Sakuya…I thought that you were dead!"

"I _was_."

* * *

><p><strong>Some time passes…<strong>

"I-I'm sorry," Aya near-sobbed, cowering in terror in the corner of her office furthest from the gold-haired Sakuya. "W-What do you want with me?"

"_I_ want nothing from you. However, Lady Mima would like to see you…immediately."

"Y-Yes, right away!" Aya rocketed out of her half-burning office, en route to the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Sakuya even _looked_ scarier than in the past; her gold hair color and bright red eyes were frightening when compared to her usual silver hair and deep blue eyes. Aya had learned plenty of things that could be considered loose ends in her previous edition of the Bunbunmaru. Sakuya was indeed the knife-brandishing serial killer, and she killed the people she did because Mima had ordered her to. The blood being drained was because Sakuya was given a wicked bloodlust upon being resurrected; resurrected by none other than Mima herself, which was why the evil goddess controlled her. Aside from intimidating the reporter by a long shot, Sakuya had threatened Aya with her life; that if she didn't see Mima before the next Bunbunmaru was out, or in 24 hours, Aya's blood would be the next to be sucked from her lifeless body.

She didn't want that! As Gensokyo passed her like a multicolored blur, Aya landed in front of the Scarlet Devil Mansion to see that even the mansion looked different. The gatekeeper was nowhere to be seen, and thick black clouds hung above the mansion. And as Aya stepped through the gates, she began to lose her vision! "Help," she shouted. "I'm blinded! I can't see where I'm going!" And suddenly, her vision began returning. Aya looked back up at the black clouds…those things looked more ominous than regular clouds. More than a bit afraid of what they could mean after Sakuya nearly destroyed her office, Aya ran inside as fast as she could. And (not much) to her surprise, Mima was there waiting for her.

"Hello, Aya. We need to have a chat," the evil goddess said, taking a deep breath in through her pipe.

"Okay…" Aya began following the goddess through the twisted halls of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. "Can I ask something?"

"Is it pertaining to those clouds above the mansion?"

"Um…yes."

"A neat little trick of mine that I wasn't able to pull off until I adopted this host body. See, whoever is under the clouds goes blind unless I determine otherwise. It's a great way to ward off intruders or lure them into a trap in which they essentially become a plaything that tries to fight back." Mima exhaled a cloud of lightly moaning souls, and turned a corner in the halls of the mansion. "But you're not here to discuss clouds with me. The topic is your newspaper."

"I-I'll discontinue it!"

"But I _want_ you to continue writing the Bunbunmaru. However, I find some of your articles to be a little…ahem, unsatisfactory. Such as revealing my location right after explaining that Shinki has declared war on me!"

"I'm sorry," Aya pleaded. "It won't happen again!"

"I'm certain it won't, and here is why." Mima opened a door and stepped into the room behind it, saying "Tomorrow's headline on the Bunbunmaru Newspaper will be 'Mima Found Dead at Hakurei Shrine' if you don't want Sakuya to visit your office again." Turning around to face Aya, Mima charged a bright green light in her hand as she raised it up to level with the goddess's face. "I'm going to place this in the Eientei Clinic's morgue tonight," Mima said as the green light took the form of the witch. "And you're going to write an article on the front page about how you found my dead 'body' in front of Reimu's shrine and got her oni friend to help you bring it to the morgue." In a flash of green light, the original light was now a perfect replica of Mima. "What I'm holding is a corpse doll; Yuka and I had to put our heads together on how to conjure one. The only way anybody will suspect that this isn't the real me is if _somebody_ spills the beans."

"B-But…Reimu and everybody else would deny even seeing that corpse doll!"

"Which is exactly why I'm putting it in the morgue. Eirin's claim can be dismissed as her trying to keep a low profile, and Reimu could easily deny killing me as a means to avoid further questioning from the press; you. As for Suika…she's a drunk, so she wouldn't remember moving my corpse even if she actually _did_ do the deed."

"…as you wish."

"Oh, one more thing. If, after tomorrow's headline is out and about, you ever write another article about me or if I find out you even _speak_ about me in public, my time-controlling minion will be the least of your worries. You'll have _me_ to answer to. You may leave now."

"Th-Thank you, Lady Mima!" And in the time it took for either of them to blink, Aya was out the front door and flying as fast as she could to get far away from the Scarlet Devil Mansion.

"…Sakuya," Mima called. And in an instant, the perfect and elegant bloodsucker of the Scarlet Devil Mansion was at her master's side. "I need you to go to the Human Village. What's this I've read before about a girl with the ability to conceal history?"

"It's as you say, Lady Mima. Her name is Keine Kamishirisawa, and her ability to hide history can make seem as though an event or multiple events have never happened."

"Retrieve her. I must speak to her about hiding the history of me taking over this mansion before Shinki gets here." If Shinki's army was going to show up today, they'd be here by now. That meant that Mima had until tomorrow to prepare. That was the whole purpose of the corpse doll and concealing the history of her taking over the mansion; with the two combined, as well as temporarily releasing the prisoners in her basement to live life normally until this passed, Mima would be able to fool all but the wisest people in Gensokyo.

* * *

><p><strong>The "corpse doll" thing may get some folks thinking of a certain anime that Komachi would fit in well with. "He" was certainly an inspiration, because as I typed that in, I was imagining the English dub with "And what you're looking at is not a corpse doll."<strong>

**Mima sorta IS like Aizen, isn't she? They're both villains with godly amounts of power, and both of them will troll you then fucking murder you! Then there's Yukari, the omni-troll. Maybe I should get her involved in this fanfic as well.**

…**nah, I got both Mima AND Shinki in this without BS'ing it, so I think I've done good enough :D**


	18. Chapter 18: Dead

**Three chapters (chapter 15 was finished yesterday) in one day, all because the library's servers were down for a while. I actually don't have much to say regarding this chapter or anything; I've said everything on my mind in the last two chapters. I WILL say that this one ends on a pretty hilarious scene with Aya and Suwako.**

* * *

><p><strong>Bunbunmaru Newspaper; front page<strong>

_**Mima Found Dead at Hakurei Shrine!**_

_Yesterday I was on my way to the Hakurei Shrine to question Reimu about progress on the conflict with Mima, and to my surprise, I found the goddess dead on the doorsteps of the Hakurei Shrine with numerous injuries! I asked for assistance from the shrine's resident oni to deliver the corpse to Eientei's morgue, where Mima's body is currently residing. The owner of the morgue; Eirin Yagokoro, wishes to not be bothered about the new addition to her morgue, and Reimu refused to answer any questions asked about Mima's murder. I suppose this ends the conflict that has been stretching across Gensokyo._

* * *

><p>Marisa couldn't believe what she was reading. Reimu told her that she'd probably want to read this edition of the Bunbunmaru, and even invited her over to read it over some tea! The witch's hands were trembling; she was sitting across the table from a murderer! <em>Mima's<em> murderer! She felt like she was going to cry, but Marisa did her very best to not shed a single tear. Instead, a soul-shattering glare was fixed directly on Reimu.

"Calm down," Reimu said, sliding a cup of tea across the table to the ordinary magician. "Mima was never anywhere near here, and I-" _Crash!_ Reimu's head quickly turned to the source of the sound to see that Marisa probably didn't want tea right now, judging by the shattered teacup.

"Murderer," Marisa shouted with a blazing rage. "You murdered Mima-sama in cold blood!"

"She's the cold-blooded killer, so calm down dammit! Did you forget something, Marisa? Eirin's also mentioned here, so-"

"**FINAL SPAAAAAAARK!**"

"Oh shi-"

* * *

><p>"Stop right there," Meiling said to the incoming duo. One was the dollmaker that she saw from time to time, but this other person was somebody Meiling had never seen before. "Identify yourselves at once!"<p>

"Shinki, goddess of Makai," the silver-haired goddess said.

"You already know me, Meiling."

"I'm sorry, but Lady Remilia is not seeing anybody today," the Chinese gatekeeper said with gusto. "You'll have to make an appointment with her if you wish to see the Scarlet Devil."

"We're here for Mima," Shinki said with a hint of ice in her voice. "Where is she?"

"Dead. You haven't read the paper?" Meiling held out the newest edition of the Bunbunmaru Newspaper, with the front page right there in front of the two. Meiling knew better, though. Mima was simply passing time in the basement, waiting for Shinki to return to Makai. The only reason Meiling was even out here was because it was part of Mima's multi-layered deception. First she had that were-hakutaku from the Human Village conceal the history of her seizing the Scarlet Devil Mansion, then she had Aya lie on the front page of the newspaper. And to seal the deal, Mima was allowing the residents of the Scarlet Devil Mansion out of the basement's torture chamber for the time being to trick anybody, whether they saw past the history concealment trick or not. "I'm sorry, but your war is over. Please return to Makai."

"You're awfully eager to get rid of me, aren't you?"

"I have to guard these gates, and the longer you're here, the longer another intruder can slip past me and enter the mansion as they please. If I don't do my job right, I'll be horribly punished, so please leave now."

"…Alice, love, come along. Do you mind terribly if I stay at your house for a few days?" The dollmaker remained silent to Shinki's question as the two walked away from the Scarlet Devil Mansion. "Come on. You can't let your mother stay with you for a few days?" Once the two were in the Forest again, out of the clearing that surrounded the Scarlet Devil Mansion, Shinki created a small doll in her hands with big eyes.

"What's that for," Alice asked.

"That gatekeeper was all too eager to get rid of me. I want to make sure she's not lying to me, so this little doll here will keep an eye on things during my stay in Gensokyo."

"W-Wait, I never said you could stay with me!"

"Oh well," Shinki said with fake disappointment. "I guess I'll just have to stay with Marisa instead. I'm sure we can both share all sorts of stories about you, love, so we might get along rather nicely in fact."

"Hey, how about you stay in my house for a few days?"

"I'd be delighted!"

* * *

><p>Normally, people weren't allowed in the Eientei Clinic's morgue. When Marisa explained her close ties to Mima, however, they let her take a look at the evil goddess's body, though Eirin still seemed confused as to how it got there. Tears filled the witch's eyes and streaked down her face when she first looked at the corpse, and she couldn't avert her eyes no matter how badly she wanted to. "Mima-sama…"<p>

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Marisa could hear somebody saying on the other side of the door. "I can't let you in here."

"I'm a close friend of your boss," another woman said; Marisa's penchant for lying told her that whoever this person was, they were lying. "Eirin knows how close I was to the deceased, so I need to get in there!"

"But-"

"Move it! Or must I educate you on who I am?"

"…yes, ma'am. I apologize dearly for delaying you."

"Thank you." The doors opened, and in stepped one Yuka Kazami. "Hello, Marisa. I figured you'd be here."

"Mima-sama's dead," Marisa sobbed. "I shouldn't have left her side, ze. If I were there, I could have stopped this from happening! Yuka…do you think Mima-sama would forgive me?"

"Most definitely. She loves you like-"

"_Loved_ me like a daughter, ze."

"No, she _loves_ you like a daughter, and still does. Come with me."

"You don't mean…"

* * *

><p>"Mima-sama!" Marisa hugged her master tightly with pure joy filling up every inch of her body. "I'm so sorry I left you! I thought you were actually dead and I can't even remember the last time I felt so horrible when I thought that!"<p>

"I can," Mima said, hugging her apprentice back. "But trust me; I was always well and uninjured."

"I was kind of suspicious when Yuka brought me to this mansion since Meiling was on duty, but I should have known you would think of something like this da ze! I'm so sorry I left you, Mima-sama!"

"You don't have to apologize. But that feeling you felt when you thought I was dead…I take it you never want to feel like that again."

"No, never ever!"

"Then join me," Mima said, releasing her arms from Marisa. "As powerful as I am, Shinki could soundly defeat me if the two of us were to fight. If that were to happen, that feeling of loss may be fully justified, as I'm not sure if my spirit will be released from my host body if I'm killed like this."

"I'll stay at your side until the death da ze!"

"I'm pleased to hear that. For now, I want you to simply act as though I really were dead and would not be coming back. Meiling knows to let you in if you show up, so come back when Shinki has gone back to Makai. Yuka is going to remain here with me; a duplicate familiar is posing as the real Yuka out in Gensokyo. You may want to go to the Moriya Shrine and see how Kanako is feeling about the supposed loss of Sanae."

"Nah. I'm going to go fake mourn some; might stop by Alice's house and see if she'll console me, ze."

"I'm so proud to have you as an apprentice, Marisa. Have I said that before?"

* * *

><p>"There, there, Kanako." Suwako was as good as new in every way, but Kanako had turned into a wreck as soon as the newest Bunbunmaru came in. Mima's death meant Sanae's death, and Kanako wasn't taking it so well. "I miss her too, but it's just like we told Sanae herself at her grandfather's funeral in the outside world. We can cry all we want, but it can't reverse death."<p>

"I know," Kanako said, bordering on incoherence. "But it's all my fault!"

"No, no, no. If anybody is going to get blamed, it should be either myself or that Mima person. I didn't try to get her to simmer down when she ran off, and actually encouraged her demented behavior. Even if we had her back, she'd want our heads on a sacrificial altar."

"B-But, before Mima took her over…I saw that little girl I loved so much! She's still a good girl, Suwako; she was just misguided is all!"

"I know, and I'm sorry for it. But I'm sure-"

"Ayayayaya!"

"This is kind of a bad time, Aya. Can you come back later?"

"I'm sorry, Lady Suwako, but I _have_ to tell somebody! I'm going crazy with keeping it a secret and I figured if I had to tell somebody, you two would be the best ones to hear it!"

"Well, out with it! Kanako's a wreck and I'm not much better off, so you'd better have good news, Aya."

"I lied! Mima's not dead; she's not even injured!"

"!"

"She's still in Sanae's body, and she's still in the Scarlet Devil Mansion!" And before she knew it, Aya was spilling every bean she had. "She went to the Human Village and had Keine Kamishirisawa hide the history of her taking over the mansion! Then she released the residents of the Scarlet Devil Mansion from her torture chamber in the basement and told them to live life normally but to let _nobody_ inside without Mima herself saying otherwise, and hid a corpse doll in the Eientei Clinic's morgue, which is what I took a picture of for the front page!" Then she started spilling unrelated beans. "I stole Momiji's radio because I needed more stories for the Bunbunmaru! Reimu has been running an extortion ring the whole time and the only reason I haven't written about it is because she's giving me a small cut of the profits! I'm actually dyslexic! I thought it was funny when Suwako couldn't control her bladder! I…"

"You _what_?" Suwako looked pissed…no pun intended.

"Eh-heh…I'd better-" _POW!_

Suwako pinned the confessing reporter to the floor of the shrine, and angrily asked "Do you have any idea how humiliating that was for me? Maybe I should put _you_ in the leftover diapers and see how _you_ feel! Sure it didn't last long, but it was more humiliating than the rest of my life put together!"

* * *

><p><strong>Well, I thought it was funny at least. The part where Aya started confessing unrelated stuff, at least. Suwako being pissed off (pun intended that time) was funny then turned oddly hot near the end. That aside, I've still got nothing to say.<strong>

**I may write a spinoff fic about what happens to Aya. But I also might not :P**


	19. Chapter 19: The Untouchable

**Thanks to Nuclear Hell Raven for giving me an idea for a brief part in this chapter that will build as time progresses. You were right; I did sort of abandon the characters from UFO and SA. As for Sakuya, Mima needed a do-it-all underling and a semi-vampiric EX-Sakuya was just what she needed :D**

**That said, the Mima conflict is heating up for certain! I really have to edit the story info and replace Suwako with Mima in the main character section. Part of me hopes Shinki ends up finding Mima and unleashes hell on her ghostly ass, but another part hopes she doesn't and instead goes back to Makai. I wouldn't know which one comes out; I usually have a vague outline for a plot when I start a fanfic and then I'm winging it the whole time; I originally didn't think Shinki would even make a cameo, much less be a semi-important character!**

* * *

><p>"I'm so sorry for your loss," Alice said, wrapping her arms around a crying Marisa. "I didn't like her, but I know how much Mima meant to you, so for that, I'm sorry."<p>

"Thank you, ze."

"Is there anything I can get to help you feel a little better?" This was no time for tsundere behavior. Marisa was seriously hurt inside, and such behaviors probably wouldn't help much. "Whatever it is, I'll go find it. And if I can't, I'm sure Shinki can make it."

"I-I'm fine," Marisa said with a fake hitch in her voice, with trembling that was just as fake. It was just like Mima said so long ago. Honesty is a noble trait, but not one that many witches posses. The black-white witch was certain that if her master saw her right now, she'd be smiling in pride. "I just…I've gotta get my thoughts together, ze."

"Well, you're always welcome here, Marisa. If it gets to be something you can't deal with alone, just let me know; I'll sit down and listen to whatever you have to say."

"Thanks…Alice, can I ask you a question?"

"Anything."

"Why are you so caring all of a sudden, ze?"

"…" The dollmaker turned just as red as the ribbons she put in her dolls' hair. "W-Well, because…you've had a major loss just now, and-" _SLAM!_

"Where's Mima," Kanako demanded. "She's no idiot; she'd probably move after setting up this ruse of hers!"

"K-Kanako, ze!" Marisa turned to the sky goddess, and said "She's dead!" When she did, she faked even more sadness to try and seal the deal. Only, Marisa didn't know that Aya had spilt the beans.

"Why are you being so insensitive," Alice asked angrily. "You're making Marisa cry!"

"Please leave, Kanako! You're-"

"You can cut the act," The snake goddess said, arms crossed over her (massive) chest. "Aya told me _everything_. She just flew down to my shrine and sang like a canary."

"…I thought she was a crow-"

"That doesn't matter! _Where_, _is_, _**Mima**_?"

"…I have no idea what you're talking about, ze."

"Useless!" Kanako literally stormed out of the door, en route to the Scarlet Devil Mansion.

Alice, on the other hand, was sitting down in a chair in the corner, with a doll fanning her. "Why is it that all these interrogations happen at _my_ house?"

* * *

><p>"…"<p>

"Hey, Marisa…where are you going?"

"I wouldn't know," the duplicate Yuka said.

"Don't give me that crap," Suwako demanded. "Your Mima is alive and well, and is hiding out somewhere! Kanako and I agreed that she's too smart to stay in one place after setting up that ruse of hers, and we also know that she always keeps her followers updated, that being _you_ and Marisa, who Kanako is questioning right now. So, where is she?"

"I'm honest; I don't know where Mima-sama is."

"Liar!" Suwako covered her hand in a cone of steel tipped with a point that looked like it could tear through just about anything. "Lie to me again and I'll run you through!"

"…Suwako, I'm not lying. I have no idea where-" _STAB!_ When the steel cone was pulled out of Yuka's body, there was a gaping hole in her stomach, but it quickly healed, giving away the duplicate. "Oh, crap."

"A fake! Grrrr…where's Yuka at?"

"Right in front-"

"_The real Yuka_!"

"I'm afraid that at this current juncture of time, the precise location of the youkai known as Yuka Kazami is beyond my ability to identify, given a considerable distance between the two of us and the lack of any form of psychological link."

"You think you can confuse me with those long words? Spill the beans, or I'll spill your guts!"

"…"

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry," Meiling said, "I can't allow-"<p>

"Move it," Kanako demanded. "I have business with Mima and I know she's here."

"…y-yes ma'am." Meiling's voice was reduced to little more than a squeaky whisper because of the power behind Kanako's voice. Even Remilia couldn't compare in authority to what this goddess had. "Um…please enjoy your visit…a-at the Scarlet Devil Mansion." The Chinese youkai opened the gates, and stepped away from them. "M-Make yourself at home."

"Thank you. If Suwako arrives before I'm finished, you'll do well to let her in, too."

"Yes ma'am…thank you."

"You're doing a great service to Gensokyo, just to let you know. It may seem minor, but you've just given me-"

"ZA WARUDO!"

* * *

><p>"We've sat on the sidelines long enough, Okuu." Satori got up from her seat in the Palace of Earth Spirits. The new Bunbunmaru said Suwako wasn't a threat any longer, so it'd be perfectly fine to help resolve this new crisis with Mima. The headline about Mima's death was a lie; Satori knew it from the moment Aya came by to deliver the paper. "We have to deal with this Mima person; her plan is well-established and she's becoming a threat to Gensokyo's safety."<p>

"Not to mention she's an evil spirit," Utsuho added. "That's an important part, too."

"Indeed. Get Koishi and Orin here; the four of us will deal with this together. Once Mima's defeated, we're going to have to seal her down here in the Palace of Earth Spirits, so we're taking on quite a responsibility."

"Right away!" Utsuho ran off to get Koishi and Rin. A hell raven with the power of nuclear fusion, a kasha, and then Satori and Koishi. It was quite a quartet of incident solvers.

* * *

><p>"So," Mima said to the chained-up sky goddess in her torture chamber of a basement. "The gig is up, is it? How did you figure me out?"<p>

"Aya told me everything," Kanako said. "I interrogated Marisa to no avail and decided to start at your last known location; here. I figured you were too smart to stay in one place after setting up a fake death, but it seems not."

"It's far wiser to remain here than to relocate because of that exact reason," Mima said, inhaling deeply into her pipe. "You all assume I'm smart enough to go somewhere else to throw you off my trail, but I'm smarter than that. By staying on the exact same trail, you were tricked into thinking that finding me here would be too simple for one of my schemes and probably tried a few other locations before coming here, despite your previous statement." Letting out the smoky souls gathered by her pipe, Mima finished "In short, the complexity of me remaining here lies in its simplicity, and vice versa."

"Quit smoking that thing!"

"Why should I?" Mima inhaled deeply into her pipe again, this time specifically to mock Kanako. "It's not hurting anybody."

"You're probably damaging Sanae's body with that thing!"

"Oh?" Exhaling the next cloud of lost souls directly into Kanako's face, Mima asked "Does that bother you?"

"Yes!"

"All the more reason to continue." Mima kicked back in a wooden chair that was placed in the basement for her, and asked "So when's Suwako the Incontinence God showing up?"

"What makes you think she'll be here?"

"Please. Staying here might have been a foolish idea, but do you take me for an idiot? Sure, you could split yourself in two like gods can and interrogate both Marisa _and_ Yuka as to my whereabouts, but there would still be only one Kanako to fight me in the end. By having Lady Leakage run about to interrogate Yuka - you mentioned you approached Marisa - you could get two goddesses down here to combat me instead of yourself. However, since you _did_ decide to have Divine Diapers go around-"

"Can you stop with the derogatory nicknames at least? Suwako's as good as new now; the effects of her being sacrificed wore off already."

"…in light of that alone, fine; I'll spare her the humiliation…until she shows up, at least. Since you decided to have _Suwako_ run about as well, I can only assume she interrogated Yuka and _would_ be en route to this mansion, but there's one flaw at play in all that. Yuka is here with me; the youkai your friend is questioning is merely a duplicate conjured for the sole purpose of acting out the role of the real Yuka until Shiki returns to Makai."

"So you're afraid of Shinki?"

"Oh, heavens no. I have no reason to be afraid of Shinki, or anybody for that matter. I simply want to seem vulnerable so that in the end, everybody can witness just how impossible it will truly be to kill me. See, as long as I have this host body, nobody can _touch_ me, and seeing to that personally will be none other than you, Kanako."

"And why is that?"

"Oh? Have you suddenly stopped caring about Sanae?" Mima picked up a nearby knife used for torture, and held it to her own throat. "How would you react if I were to do it, right now? Face it, Kanako; as long as you still have a shred of love for your precious Sanae, you won't even lay a finger on me, or I'll issue the order to kill my host on the spot."

"…"

"_And_, since I'm simply a spirit possessing her body, I can just hop out while Sanae's dying and to me, the only change is that I'm a tad weaker. As great as any plan you formulate to stop me can possibly be, as long as I'm in Sanae's body, you wouldn't dare act any harmful ones out. The best thing you can do to me is imprison me until this host dies of age or starvation, and I'm _certain_ you don't want to witness that."

"…"

"Crying, are we?" _SLASH!_ Mima delivered one deep cut across Kanako's face, quickly causing red rivulets of blood to flow down the sky goddess's face. "Get a grip. Gods don't cry, and they sure as hell don't value mortals as much as you do."

"So if I killed Marisa today, you wouldn't care? Because you're a god?"

"!"

"Heh…not as tough as you thought, are you Mima?"

"If you so much as touch her, I'll kill this host body slowly and force you to watch every second. I intend to keep you prisoner here until the end of time, and don't bother using any magic. I've put a powerful spell on those chains that makes it so that the steel drains the power of whoever touches it. Even if you had your powers, what would you do with them? Kill me?"

"…" Mima was back on the offensive. Kanako hated that.

Adopting the voice of only Sanae for a moment, Mima said in false terror "Help me, Kanako! Help me, please!"

"Sanae!"

"I can break her whenever I want," Mima said, reverting back to her own voice. "And because of that, I've broken you. So I'm giving you a choice. You can remain imprisoned here forever because you're stubborn when it comes to your faith in you miko, or you can serve me and I'll preserve my host's body for all time! Sanae would never die, and you would have no need to mourn. I may even be so kind as to let you talk to the girl now and again."

"…"

* * *

><p><strong>Cunning Mima-sama is cunning. No matter how much everybody begs, you have to wait for the next chapter to see if Kanako decides to ally herself with Mima! As for Aya, I believe Mima made a certain threat recently that will now put her in serious harm once Shinki is out of the way.<strong>

**Mima lied about not being scared of Shinki; the only two people Mima is actually afraid of are Shinki and Reimu. But even then, Mima can play the "host body" card on those two, warning Shinki that innocent lives will be lost and Kanako and Suwako would probably want revenge, and she could play some serious mind games with Reimu to make her fall for Sanae, which would again prevent anybody from damaging her. Of course, Reimu **_**is**_** a shrine maiden.**

**See where this is going?**


	20. Chapter 20: Hei, an Alien

**Once again, Nuclear Hell Raven gave me the idea for the critical parts of this fanfic, but the end was something I thought of myself. I smell all-out war on the horizon, and it's probably going to be insane!**

* * *

><p>"Which will it be," Mima asked. "Subservience or imprisonment?"<p>

"I'll never serve you," Kanako spat. "I'll find a way out of these chains, and figure out a way to get you out of Sanae's body, and you'll be vulnerable!"

"Did you forget? I have a time-controlling, knife-brandishing, quasi-vampiric maid, who also serves as an assassin. Between Sakuya, my host body, and myself, plus this little fake death of mine, I'm untouchable." _POW!_

"I thought you said you were untouchable," Suwako said, her fist clenched tightly. "That was for Sanae, you bitch."

"Welcome…Sakuya!"

"Unconscious," Suwako said. "Your maid is out of the picture for now."

"I still have Yuka and Marisa!"

"Both dealt with." Suwako passed by Marisa on the way here and sealed her beneath the earth for the time being. Yuka was already in the basement and tried to stop Suwako from sneaking in, and since this was a basement…that was an easy win. "You're all out of followers."

"I see…"

"Are you going to give up?"

"Me? Give up? Ha! You obviously have no idea who you're talking to, Lady Leakage!"

"What did you just call me!"

"I have a whole list of nicknames for you. Lady Leakage, Suwako the Incontinence God, Divine Diapers, Goddess of the Soiled and Wet…I've got pages of these."

"Unacceptable!" Suwako's eyes stared knives straight into Mima, as did the eyes on top of her hat. "I'll kill you!"

"Go on," Mima said, extending her arms to the sides to accept whatever attack Suwako would deliver. "Kill me."

"I…"

"You're just as pathetic as Kanako." Mima backhanded the earth goddess with all her might, sending Suwako spiraling into a wall. "I think your previous fashion was much more fitting for a babyish and harmless goddess like yourself. However, insults of such tastes are below me, so I'll cease and desist, not for your pride, but for mine."

"You're awfully cocky, aren't you?" Suwako got back up to her feet, and ran at Mima again, only to be met with the same backhand because she once again hesitated to attack. "Why?" Suwako was mad, very much so. "Why can't I bring myself to hit you?"

"You look pretty pissed off."

"Shut it."

"Let me explain," Mima said, slamming her foot on the frog goddess's chest. "You hate me very much. However, even though you know that, you also know that Sanae is my host, so you can't get yourself to harm my host body. Just like with Kanako, you won't dare hurt me if I tell my followers to kill my host the second you do. And just like Kanako, I'm going to offer you a choice. You can become my prisoner down here forever, or you can serve me and I'll preserve my host body for all time, allowing your precious Sanae to never die. Such a good girl doesn't deserve to die because of her family's arrogance, don't you agree?"

"You wouldn't know 'good' if it hit you in the face with a baseball bat!"

"I'm awaiting your answer."

Suwako didn't answer. Instead, she grinned for a moment before disappearing into the concrete floor of the basement, taking Mima's foot with her. Then she came back out behind Mima, and said "Look who's prisoner now." Suwako wasn't sure how long that would hold Mima, but she knew it was long enough to run over and unlock the chains holding Kanako against the wall. She couldn't beat Mima; not like this. She had to get the spirit out of Sanae's body before she started fighting. Before that, however, there were some faces she needed to see again…

* * *

><p>"L-Lady Suwako," Nue said in shock. "I didn't expect to see you again! …no hard feelings for siding with Sanae?"<p>

"None at all, but I need your services again, as well as Byakuren's. There's a serious problem and it puts everybody in danger."

"I'll get Hijiri right away!"

"Please hurry." Mima was probably figuring out the next phase of her plans at this very moment to get Shinki out of Gensokyo. Kanako had been sent to seek out the goddess of Makai and inform her that Mima's death was a ruse to fool her into leaving Gensokyo. Suwako had been tasked with gathering her ex-disciples and others that were faithful to her during the Sanae crisis; the deadly army that dispersed when Mima took the reins as leading villain of Gensokyo.

"Hello again, Lady Suwako," Byakuren said, sitting down across from the frog goddess and next to Nue. "You need my aid again?"

"Yes. The evil spirit Mima has taken over Sanae's body and in her current state, she's a threat to the peace of Gensokyo. I need you and Nue to side with me again in order to get Mima out of Sanae's body, and to destroy Mima completely, once and for all!"

"That's an awfully violent end to things…"

"Look, your pacifistic views are a good trait, but there's no room for them with Gensokyo in the situation it's in. Sometimes you've just got to fight, and this is one of those times! For the good of Gensokyo, will you two stand with me one more time?"

"…I guess there's no way around it," Byakuren said. "I'll side with you once again Suwako, and you may even use this temple as a base of operations until the Mima crisis is over." Turning to her morph-savvy follower, Byakuren said "Nue, have Murasa prepare the Myouren Temple for _that_."

"Y-You mean…" Was she serious? Nue couldn't believe she was really going to do _that_! "Hijiri, it's not what I'm thinking, is it?"

"Oh, it is. Have Murasa prepare."

"Thank you both," Suwako said. "I have to see who else will join me again."

"Don't mention it."

"See you soon," Nue said. Shifting into the form of the frog goddess, Nue joked "Of course, _you_ might not see _me_."

* * *

><p>"Look, I know things didn't end well last time you stood by me, but it's different this time," Suwako said. Convincing this person to join her again wasn't so easy.<p>

"Is that so?"

"Rumia, I don't have time for the games. I was misguided in my actions and my judgment was clouded last time you sided with me, and the same could be said of Sanae. But now she's in serious trouble; an evil spirit took over her body and I need help to get the spirit out of her body and destroy it for good!"

"I can't fight something if I don't know it's name," Rumia said, taking a bite out of a large chunk of meat Suwako bought her to warm up the youkai of darkness's mood toward her former goddess. "Who am I up against?"

"Mima."

"…no thank you." Rumia didn't read the Bunbunmaru, but she caught word that Mima wasn't somebody to be trifled with. "If somebody like that is really on the loose, my main objective is protecting my friends instead of fighting that kind of monster."

* * *

><p>"I have better things to do with my time," Yamame said, spinning a new web. "Us Underworld folks rarely get involved with Gensokyo affairs, and Gensokyo rarely bothers us. If this Mima lady takes over all of Gensokyo, it's hardly my problem. Besides, word gets around fast down here and I've heard that Satori and her crew are already trying to settle the Mima incident themselves. You should head further down and talk to them about getting help if you really want an ally from down under. As for me, like I said, I have better things to do with my time."<p>

"You're pretty irritating when you're not on my side, you know that?"

"Yep, I know."

* * *

><p>"So she tried to trick me, eh?"<p>

"I'm afraid so, Shinki." The goddess of Makai didn't look too happy with the news Kanako was bringing her. "And while we're here, may I add that it's an honor to finally meet you in person? Your name is legend, even among gods."

"Thank you for the flattering compliment, but this isn't the time for flattery. Mima must be dealt with! I'm returning to Makai now and tomorrow I'll be back with the Royal Makai Army." 10,000 of Makai's finest soldiers, any of which could be easily compared to a shrine maiden in terms of power. And of course, leading the army would be Shinki herself, right alongside her dollmaking daughter. Surely Alice would have an army of her own; an explosive army made of porcelain, thread, yarn, and a number of other materials. "For now, I must speak to a certain somebody about increasing the size of the passage to Makai. 10,000 soldiers is an awful lot and I want to get them all across as soon as possible."

"Of course. Don't let me stop you."

"Alice, love," Shinki called out. "I'm going home for a bit! Meet me tomorrow morning at Reimu's shrine, okay?"

"Will do," Alice called back.

* * *

><p><strong>Time to review the major names (that would stand a chance in the final battle) on both sides before the epic battle between Team Mima and Team Gensokyo erupts.<strong>

**Team Mima: Mima, Marisa, Yuka, Sanae (as Mima's host), EX-Sakuya, Aya (who Mima had a word with off-screen; the Bunbunmaru has been discontinued until the Mima crisis ends as the next headline would tell you)**

**Team Gensokyo: Reimu, Kanako, Suwako, Shinki, Alice, Nue, Byakuren, Satori, Koishi, Utsuho**

**Team Nineball (cuz I like them and you never know what might happen): Cirno, Wriggle, Rumia, Mystia, Daiyousei, Chen**

…**yeah, this looks kinda unbalanced.**


	21. Chapter 21: The War of Gensokyo's Fate

**This one took a bit, yes?  
>I don't have much to say about this other than that war is no longer on the horizon. War is here.<strong>

**Also, I got the other day and have been making my own Walfas videos. The first one featured Mima-sama and the Dio-inspired Sakuya present here, and I even talked about Mima's plan of taking Sanae's body. I quote words said by myself in the video after this, then start the chapter:  
><strong>**  
>"Not only that, but didn't your plan to fake your own death backfire on you? You know, the one where you hid in the mansion's basement?<strong>

**You took over Sanae's body, stormed the Scarlet Devil Mansion and conquered it with the help of a resurrected Sakuya, faked your own death by hiding that corpse doll in the morgue, and just kicked back in the basement. Not your finest move.**

**O-Of course, that's only my opinion on it, Mima-sama. I'm sure the readers on thought your plan was excellent."**

**Look up "UnendingEmpire's Wacky Walfas Adventure" if you wanna see what happened afterwards :D**

* * *

><p><strong>Sunrise the following morning; shores of the Sanzu River<strong>

"Eiki-sama, I don't really think the other Yama will appreciate you doing this twice in such a short period."

"But _I_ don't appreciate my being so useless during my last trip. This Mima character has be sent straight to Hell, and I intend to hand down the judgment in person for interfering with my work!"

"And for making me waste a trip to Higan, right?" Delivering that maid wasn't exactly fun, and then Mima went and resurrected her seconds before Eiki could hand down a judgment!

"You got paid; you should be fine. However, Yama have no salaries, so I intend to make Mima pay dearly for wasting my time!" Yamaxanadu Eiki Shiki stepped off her subordinate's boat, back onto the shores of Gensokyo for the second time since this world fell into godly disarray. She didn't do much the first time so she intended to make up for it this time. "Where is her last known location?"

"Says here that last she was seen was at the Scarlet Devil-" Eiki was gone. "…Mansion."

* * *

><p>Kanako and Suwako were at the Myouren Temple once again, standing just inside the front doors. Something about the temple seemed different, but the duo couldn't quite put their finger on it…<p>

"Good morning," a youkai of echoes shouted from down the hall. "Lady Hijiri will see you now!"

"Quit yelling," Suwako shouted back with her hands over her ears. "You're being too loud!"

"**You're the one being too quiet!**"

"Enough," Byakuren said to the broom-brandishing youkai, putting a hand on top of her head. "Go back to your sweeping, Kyouko."

"Yes, ma'am!" And the green-haired youkai sped off, sweeping up a storm in whatever direction she went.

"Good morning, you two." The Youchrist approached the two goddesses, and said "Follow me. Murasa's waiting for us up front, as well as Nue. We've been preparing all day yesterday, and now we're finally ready."

"Excellent," Kanako said, following the chesty lady down the halls of the Myouren Temple. "What, may I ask, were you preparing for?"

"Oh, you'll see. Believe me when I say that you won't be disappointed, especially with the Myouren Temple acting as a base of operations if your Moriya Shrine isn't large enough."

"Well, it's only a shrine, so it's not quite large enough. Thank you for allowing us to use your space."

"Airspace perhaps," Byakuren said, making a horrible attempt at humor. Then she opened the doors that led out to a boat-like deck beneath the bright blue sky. "Murasa, Nue, it's time."

"Just give the orders," Murasa said, standing behind a ship helm.

"Right. Palanquin Ship…**launch**!" The temple began rumbling viciously as the boat-turned-temple-turned-boat/temple began lifting off the ground slowly. "This is the greatest achievement of magic and engineering combined," Byakuren boldly proclaimed as the boat's ascension into the sky sped up. "This ordinary boat is now a holy vessel that claims the sky as its ocean! Modeled after the ship that once belonged to none other than our own Captain Murasa Minamitsu!" Byakuren turned to the captain and winked, smiling at the excited hopping of the ghostly sailor; she was obviously more than eager to captain this ship. "This is the Myouren Temple! This is our temple! This is our ship! Behold, the Palanquin Ship!" The ship's ascension into the sky finished, and from where they were, one could see all of Gensokyo beneath them.

"That was quite a speech," Kanako said, walking over to the edge of the deck to get a view of the world. "Did you write that down last night or did you just wing it?"

"I made it up as I went along. I think that's the coolest thing I've said in a while." The view was perfect. "So, what's the plan to defeat Mima?"

"W-Well, we don't really have a plan yet," Suwako said, a bit embarrassed. "First we need to get Mima out of Sanae's body."

"I could do that. I was once a monk, you know."

"So you can exorcise the evil spirit possessing our good girl?"

"…no. But I'm sure the Hakurei miko could!"

* * *

><p>Something was passing over the Hakurei Shrine. Something big. Reimu knew that much by the massive shadow covering the shrine; the shadow that forced her to go outside and investigate. And when she did step outside and took a look at what was casting this shadow over her shrine, Reimu's jaw near-literally dropped to the ground. A massive steel airship occupied the skies above the Hakurei Shrine, powered by a massive glowing crystal that protruded from the back of the ship. Flying up to take a look, Reimu was rather surprised to find two faces she'd encountered before. Shinki and Alice Margatroid stood at the front of the ship, Shinki wearing an outfit far from her usual red dress. The goddess looked ready for war!<p>

"Stand down, shrine maiden," Shinki demanded, sending shivers down even Reimu's spine with how dark and serious she sounded in contrast to her usual bubbly self. "These are Makai affairs, and I won't let any denizens of Gensokyo interfere. I'm only here to exterminate Mima, at which point I'll return to Makai and bring my airship and my army with me."

"…"

"You'd best do what she says," Alice said quietly. "It's unwise to defy Shinki when she gets serious."

"I'll say again, Reimu," Shinki said, even more serious than last time. "Stand down!"

* * *

><p>"I've decided," Cirno said loudly, standing in front of a (very sloppy) map of Gensokyo. "This Mima person must be dealt with!"<p>

"How do you plan to defeat her," Wriggle asked. "Face it, she makes you look like a chip of ice in comparison for power. Unless you have an amazing plan, which I doubt, facing that monster would be equal to suicide."

"I hate admitting it," Mystia added. "But Wriggle's right. Fighting somebody as powerful as Mima is death. We need a plan."

"Cirno isn't bright," Rumia said, stepping into the main chamber of Team Nineball's subterranean hideout. "But she's not stupid. She's not the kind of person who would say something this bold without having a plan ready. And you know that whatever we need to get our hands on, myself and Mystia can easily get it."

"There _is_ a plan," the ice fairy said bravely. "I had to put the good ol' Cirno brain into overdrive to work this out, and it's going to take us a full day of preparing, but not even Mima will be able to stop us if we pull it off!" Ensuring that every other member of Team Nineball was standing in front of her, Cirno began explaining her plan. "We need to relay this info over to Chen as well; finding her is essential to the plan. That aside, it's like this. I'm going to lead the whole operation, and Wriggle will…"

* * *

><p><strong>Fairies are now explainingNekomatas are now arriving…**

* * *

><p>"And that's my plan! Dai can help me get the other fairies in on this, too!"<p>

"We need _all of that_," Rumia asked. "Well, I'd better start getting everything we need. Myschi, you come with me since there's no way I can do it alone."

"You've got it." Cirno's plan called for some pretty ridiculous things. Massive amplifiers, a microphone, several hundred tricycles, seven intercom headsets, and that was just the items! The plan also called for the aid of thousands of people. Mystia wasn't sure how Cirno intended to get the aid of every fairy in the Forest of Magic, but the night sparrow knew better than to question the Nineball herself; when she needed to get stuff done, it got done.

"I bet Ran-shama and Yukari-shama can help, too," Chen said. "Yukari-shama can get us the things Rumi and Myschi can't, like those amplifiers and a microphone!" And with that, the two-tailed nekomata began speeding off, hopping on a tricycle of her own once she was outside. She had to get home and tell Ran and Yukari about Cirno's awesome plan!

"As for me," Wriggle said. "…I don't like it, but you're onto something, Cirno. Whatever happens in there, though, I'm making sure I put you through the same." A dark flicker crossed through Wriggle's eyes as she finished that sentence. "You'd best hope Yuka's getting tired of me being her plaything."

"Sadism makes sadism," Cirno asked herself as the firefly youkai started heading out. "So Wriggle's gonna turn me into a sadist?"

* * *

><p>"All explosive dolls," Alice commanded from the front of the massive airship built by the finest engineers in Makai. "Launch and detonate! I repeat, launch and detonate!" It was a real shame to make all those dolls just to see them all die like that, but the keen observer would note that there was no way Alice could make a number of dolls anywhere near the number leaping off the ship, not in a day. That was a given; no dollmaker could make over a thousand dolls in a single day. That was why the locks on the book that rested faithfully in her arms were no longer present. The Grimoire of Alice had been unlocked, and it entered such a state with the intention of raining fiery doom down on Mima's new hideout.<p>

By the time Alice was through, the Scarlet Devil Mansion would be nothing more than rubble.

* * *

><p>"It's a Makai airship you say, Yuka?"<p>

"Yes, Mima-sama, right above us." For once, Yuka looked concerned. "I have reason to believe Shinki is on board, and there's no way she'd bring in an airship this big without an army."

"Intriguing…go home for the day, Yuka. Go. Now."

"W-What? Why-" _**BOOM! BOOM!**_

"A rain of explosives…you'd best head home, Yuka. I'll deal with these intruders personally." Mima's black wings would have unfolded if she weren't in a host body. Since she was, however, the evil spirit settled for picking up her crescent-tipped staff and making her way outside, right into the heat of the fight. Joining her was the perfect and elegant maid. "Sakuya, hang back until the Makai army is on the ground. Once they're down here, I expect them to be mowed down like weeds."

* * *

><p><strong>Originally, I was gonna do two things.<strong>

**A: I was gonna have an extended version of the Sanzu River scene where a certain necromantic OC of mine escaped from Higan to fight Mima. I decided against it because he wouldn't fit in with the rest of the cast.**

**B: I was gonna name this chapter The Grimoire of Alice, but it wouldn't be relevant until the end of the chapter. Also, notice how she said "All EXPLOSIVE dolls" there? Know what that means?**

**Anyway, the day's going to be saved by a very unlikely heroine…and it's not Cirno. One last review, this time for every individual faction instead of just Team Mima/Team Gensokyo, and this time I'm including EVERYBODY that's going to be fighting, on-screen or off!**

**Myouren-Moriya Alliance: Kanako, Suwako, Byakuren, Murasa, Nue, Ichirin, Unzan, Nazrin, Shou**

**Makai Royal Army: Shinki, Alice, about 10,000 of Makai's finest soldiers, 1,000+ explosive dolls, a couple hundred combat dolls, two goliath dolls**

**Mima's New Gensokyo: Mima, Dio-Sakuya (which translates from Spanish as "God-Sakuya" fyi), Marisa, Remilia, Patchouli, Meiling, Aya, Sanae (as Mima's host body)**

**Team Nineball: Cirno, Mystia, Rumia, Wriggle, Chen, EVERY fairy in the Forest of Magic (quite a few of which are tricycle-riding cavalry), nearly every bug in Gensokyo, Yuka, Daiyousei (as a tactician)**

**Palace of Earth Spirits: Satori, Koishi, Utsuho**

**Everybody else (no factions): Reimu, Eiki**

**This sounds like it would make one hell of an RTS, doesn't it? I know that at the least, we'll see some on-screen fighting or at least SOMETHING from the below people. Don't read any more if you don't want some minor spoilers!**

**Shinki, Mima, EX-Sakuya, Sanae (as Mima's host body), Cirno, Yuka, Satori, Koishi, Reimu, Eiki, Sanae (as herself)**


	22. Chapter 22: Ordinary Magician

**This is quite possibly the best chapter so far in my opinion, between the epic fight, Mima's cunning plan, and the last parts of this chapter which could leave anybody and anything in suspense! I hope you enjoy this, but know that the fanfic may be coming to an end soon. I begin moving the pieces into play for the grand final battle here, and once I flip the switch to trigger that final battle, Mima-Sanae's power will rock Gensokyo down to its very foundation!**

* * *

><p>Mima stepped out into the rain of explosive dolls. It was time to settle this once and for all, and claim what was hers. Were it not for Shinki's power alone, Mima would heavily consider taking <em>her<em> body in exchange for Sanae's! Alas, such distracting thoughts could easily cost Mima her host in this volatile rain of dolls. Swerving back and forth between dolls, not looking below her to the burning Scarlet Devil Mansion, Mima focused her sights on the airship above her. She needed to eliminate it, at which point Sakuya would deal with the army. That would leave Shinki and Alice for Mima. This would be interesting…

* * *

><p>"Open fire," Shinki ordered. "She's on the move!" Everybody on the ship, including the goddess of Makai herself, started raining danmaku down at Mima to accompany the continued air raid of dolls. Shinki would see to it that Mima was destroyed, fully and completely, and for all eternity. The evil spirit had some nerve to do the things she'd been doing, but the one that put Shinki on the war path was the destruction of Alice's house and the forced reconstruction of Marisa's. Sure, all was back to normal by now in terms of housing, but Shinki refused to forgive this act. That was the only explanation for the massive airship that was now being boarded by a green-haired goddess. Drawing her own staff, Shinki said "I intend to stop you here, Mima. I refuse to let you harm Alice or myself."<p>

"Oh my dear, who ever said my target was either of _you_?" Mima rose her staff, the crescent top facing the sky above. "You'll need to grab a number for Mima's Ass-Kicking Department, and you'll serve me shortly." The ghostly goddess slammed the bottom of her staff into the airship's deck, causing an intricate network of green lines to spread across the entire ship. "Behold the power of this goddess who has transcended mortality and divinity!" With a violent twist of her staff, the lines that covered the ship erupted into tall green explosions, causing the ship to rumble furiously before slowly coming apart. "Compared to my ultimately perfect power, even you are nothing compared to me, Shinki," the goddess mocked, leaping off the airship, staff in hand. "Bring me your army!" Flying back down to the ground, Mima shouted "Let loose the Makai Royal Army, so that I can show you true despair!"

"Let's oblige her," Shinki said, following Mima off the boat. Turning her head back to her 10,000 soldiers at the last second, the goddess commanded "All troops, move out! Don't pause until this wannabe goddess is eradicated entirely from the faces of Gensokyo, Makai, and every other world!" And following Shinki in the pursuit of Mima, aside from Alice, was the entire Royal Makai Army. If only Shinki didn't underestimate the gold-clad figure waiting in front of the mansion as Mima, Shinki, and the entire army landed on the ground.

"I'll leave the small fry to you, Sakuya."

"Yes, Mima-sama…" Turning to the Royal Makai Army with a wicked bloodlust in both her grin and her eyes, golden knives appeared in Sakuya's hands. "Their time has come!"

"Do it."

"_WRYYYYYYYYYYY!_" In the blink of an eye, those few knives became a hundred. And in another blink, a thousand. In only a second's time, every individual soldier in the entire Royal Makai Army was surrounded on all sides by golden knives, which dove into their respective targets all at once, covering the grounds and everywhere around it in a brilliant shower of red. "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Sakuya was enjoying cutting down the remaining few that were bold enough to try and get back up and sucking them all dry of blood. "Is this army _really_ the finest Makai has to offer?"

"!" Did that really just happen? Shinki's entire army…10,000 of Makai's finest, gone in a second! But she couldn't give up; that was probably exactly what Mima wanted. Speaking of Mima, she was…!

She was able to subdue Alice! The dollmaker's arms were held behind her back by one of Mima's, and in the goddess's free hand rested one of Sakuya's knives. "Give up. Drop your weapon, get down on your knees, admit defeat, and let Sakuya kill you. If you take a single step in any direction, I'll cut the magician down." Mima brought her head around Alice's neck to look the dollmaker in the face. She was panicking and terrified; exactly what Mima wanted to see. "You can either watch Alice die, or she can watch you die. I refuse to let both of you leave here alive, so make your choice."

* * *

><p>Satori froze in her tracks. Something terrible had just happened. "Koishi…you felt it too, right? Like thousands of minds were all silenced at once." Normally, Satori couldn't read minds that far away, but with so many shutting down at once and thinking their final thoughts at the same time, Satori would have probably been able to detect it from just about anywhere. "That's where Mima is. Both of you, follow me, now!"<p>

"You've got it, big sis!" Koishi followed in her sister's footsteps, looking back every few seconds to make sure Utsuho was still following as well. "Things have gotten dangerous up here, haven't they?"

"I'm afraid so, Koishi. They've become very dangerous indeed."

* * *

><p>"There," Kanako said, pointing down to a sudden explosion of red liquid that burst out near the Misty Lake. "Mima's there!"<p>

"Just remember I'm not doing this for Sanae," Reimu said. She was doing it for two reasons. First and foremost, Mima was a major threat to Gensokyo and had to be dealt with. Secondly, Kanako gave her a _healthy_ paycheck to assist in the battle against the evil goddess. "It's for Gensokyo, and so that we'll all live to see me cash in that paycheck and probably have a celebration at the shrine that I don't even want to have."

"Whatever your inspiration is, just stand with me for this one final battle, Reimu." Kanako looked down at the battlefield, and could make out thousands of figures, all but four of which were dead. "My…that battle was awful fast, and all of the dead seem to be in uniform. Shinki's army, perhaps?"

"…that fast…" Reimu paled in shock. The miko wasn't sure whether it was Mima or Sakuya that did this, but the 10,000 dead soldiers and the ruined airship were both cues to Reimu that this wasn't a fight she wanted any part of. "T-Turn the ship around!"

"You're not going anywhere, Reimu."

"Like hell I'm not! No amount of money's worth fighting _that_!" Reimu ran for the back of the ship, and leapt off. There was no way in hell Reimu was going up against Mima and Sakuya at the same time if they were capable of that combined! "I hope you can forgive me!" And when Reimu turned back to look at the Palanquin Ship she was abandoning, she was glad she chose to. A massive spark tore through the deck, and Reimu could see that it was now on a collision course with the burning ruins of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Reimu was _very_ glad she chose to abandon ship, even if it was a coward's way out.

* * *

><p><strong>Not long after the Palanquin Ship's crash…<strong>

"Everybody stop where you are," Mima said, still holding a knife to Alice's throat. The goddess's green eyes constantly darted between Shinki, Kanako, Suwako, and the Myouren Temple crew to make sure that nobody did anything stupid. Standing next to Mima was Sakuya, who held a knife up to the throat of the goddess herself. "If any of you move, I'll kill Alice and have Sakuya here kill my host. And then with my host's dying breath, I'll unleash an explosion of magic so powerful that it will obliterate all of us down to the very last molecule as well as anybody in a ten-kilometer radius. So, unless any of you are willing to sacrifice everybody here and countless innocent lives, you're all going to meet my demands."

"…" Everybody was speechless at this hostage situation. Was Mima bluffing? Nobody wanted to find out, so they let the evil spirit continue speaking, all sets of eyes peeled for any sort of opening.

"First, all of you will drop your weapons." When nobody complied with Mima's first demand, she pressed her knife tighter against Alice's throat, nearly causing the dollmaker to bleed. "Do it! Now!" Shinki's staff was dropped. Murasa's anchor, Nue's pitchfork, Suwako's iron ring, every weapon everybody had was dropped to the floor, and Mima eased up on the pressure she put against Alice with the knife. "Good. Now, I want all of you to get down on your knees, and admit defeat. And then I want you to beg. Beg for death. That's when you'll be executed, and a peaceful solution will be made."

"There's nothing peaceful about this," Byakuren protested. "You're willing to kill anybody who doesn't believe the same as you! It's people like you that give witches a bad reputation, Mima!"

"Be careful what you say, hag," Mima threatened, pressing the tip of her knife just a little bit beneath Alice's skin, causing her to bleed ever-so-lightly. "I'm sure Alice here wouldn't appreciate if I were to lose my temper because of what you're saying to me. But…I see a problem. My entire hostage situation here depends on Sakuya remaining at my side, and if she leaves that side for a second, even in frozen time, the plan falls into peril and, let's face facts, all of you combined could probably overpower me easily. So I need somebody else to do the executions in Sakuya's place, but…who?"

"Mima-sama!" Down from the sky bolted a black-white blur like a rocket. "Give me a knife da ze!"

"Do what she says, Sakuya." When a knife was placed in Marisa's hand, Mima said "I'm very proud to have an apprentice as loyal as you, Marisa. When I told Yuka to leave, she just left without even…what are you doing?"

Marisa reached up for her hat. "It's only polite to take my hat off, ze. In respect for the dead and all."

"Well, yes, I suppose that's true." What happened next baffled Mima. Marisa dropped her hat, and let it hit the floor. When she was young, Marisa's hat was never more than ten feet away from her and never _ever_ touched any surface other than her head or a rack. Now she threw her hat off into the horizon. "I must say, Marisa, you look quite different without your hat on. It's not-**AAAAAAAAAAAAH!**" Mima's arm recoiled in pain, dropping her knife in the process. "Traitor!" But before Mima could grip her betrayer to teach her what happened to double-crossers, Marisa was out of her reach with Alice securely in her arms.

"Mima-sama, for your own good, I must stop you."

Mima's eyebrow twitched wildly, as did the corner of her mouth. "Y-You…you've gone and turned your back on me, Marisa…" Mima yanked the knife in her arm out, and picked up the one she dropped. "You've forced me to do something I'm probably going to regret, Marisa." Mima threw both of the knives in her hands. _STAB, STAB!_

"Alice!" Getting down to her knees and picking up the dollmaker when she fell down, Marisa shook her a bit to make sure she was alive. "Alice! Speak to me, ze!"

"I tried to candy-coat it for you, Marisa; what it truly means to be a witch. We have no time for such meddling things as love, and it appears that I have to teach you that the hard way. I'm done with the motherly affection; done with getting you out of trouble when you're in peril. As of this moment, Marisa, I hereby deny being your master."

"…I'm no witch," Marisa said, getting back up to her feet. "I'm Marisa Kirisame. I thought for my whole life that I wanted to be a witch, but now I can see just how mistaken I was, and how proud I am to be exactly who and what I am, ze. My name is Marisa Kirisame, and I'm just an ordinary magician da ze!"

"Then show me! Educate me, Marisa, on why you and I are different!"

"**LOVE SIGN!**" Marisa's hakkero was right in front of her. Just like Mima taught her. Straight back, loose shoulders, firm arms. Cancel out any thought that wasn't about her established target and the spell she wanted to cast. "**FINAL SPAAAAAAAAAAAARK!**"

* * *

><p><strong>I was originally going to call this chapter "The Final Spark" but I figured it'd make the last bit too obvious. I just now realized that so far, nobody's faced a permanent death in this fanfic with the possible exception of Flandre, who was drained of all her blood from Sakuya then never mentioned again. IF Flan-chan's alive, she's probably not in very good shape, but she's not what matters here. What matters is that it's about to become Mima and EX-Sakuya versus Shinki, Kanako, Suwako, the entire UFO crew (minus Kogasa) and Marisa! Personally, I'm betting on Mima for the sake of the fanfic.<strong>

**If it weren't for the need to continue the story a little longer, I'd certainly bet on the team trying to obliterate Mima. But wait! Kanako and Suwako wouldn't try to kill Mima! Oh well, it still seems like quite a fight, doesn't it?**


	23. Chapter 23: Red and White and Blue

**As the title may imply, this chapter is almost entirely focused on Reimu. The final battle is turning out not much like I expected it would when I started writing the fanfic, though I did know it would boil down to Mima and a shrine maiden. However, the more words I type, the greater chance there is of me spoiling something, so I'll let you get right into the reading.**

* * *

><p>It was like a blinding light of mass destruction, let off with an intention Marisa would have imagined having. It would be a shame about Sanae, but Mima-<p>

"Impressive, but you're still just a child," Mima said, standing at the wreckage of the Scarlet Devil Mansion with the tip of her crescent staff pointing right at Marisa. "You missed." Bright yellow light was gathering to the tip of her staff, building in both heat and intensity as the stored power continued rising. "However, compared to me, you're quite correct; you _are _rather ordinary, aren't you?"

"Mima!"

"Let this be a lesson to you in your next life. _Nobody_ betrays the great Mima!" Any motherly love Mima had for Marisa before was gone now, if it wasn't all just an act in the past. This was Mima, the evil goddess of Gensokyo. "Magic Sign…Twilight Spark." And what followed…

* * *

><p><strong>After the attack…<strong>

"Heh. I guess you're more ordinary than I made you out to be, Marisa." Lifting her scorched apprentice off of the blackened ground, Mima coldly asked "Now do you understand just where you stand in this world? You've reached your limits, Marisa, but me…I am a goddess! My power knows no limits at all! I have no more need for weaklings like yourself."

"Really now," an unexpected voice asked. "Your mind is soaked in regret and sorrow. Even at this very second you're thinking about it. I wish it didn't have to end this way, you're telling yourself."

Mima turned angrily to the source of the voice. A small pink-haired girl, and a hell raven. Dipping into Sanae's memories, these two were…Satori and Utsuho. "Really, now? I'm impressed that you can read my thoughts; I'd think divinity-"

"Would protect you from our powers. You're fatally mistaken." To make her point, Satori noted a seemingly empty space next to Mima. "Koishi can still control your subconscious mind. Do you know where suppressed personalities go?"

"…"

"Come out, Sanae."

"!" Mima wasn't the only one who appeared shocked. Kanako, Suwako…everybody there was shocked by the bright green glow in Mima's eyes. The most shocked of them all, Mima aside, was Kanako. She'd seen Mima possess Sanae's body, and she now wanted to be here to see if Sanae could get rid of Mima from her body. "Y-You…"

"Koishi and I will take our leave now. Come along, Utsuho."

"**Not on my watch!**"

"Run," Sanae's body shouted, this time in the voice of the miko herself. "All of you get out of here in case this gets violent!"

"Learn your place," Mima demanded. "_You_ are _my_ host; consider yourself privileged and honored to know that as the truth!"

"I'll never serve you! All the innocent lives you've taken; you even almost killed your own apprentice!"

"I don't need her! I don't need _anybody_!"

"…then get out of my body, Mima."

"I refuse! Your power is mine, and I intend to keep it that way!" Mima was fine going about this defensively; so long as she and Sanae were fighting for control over this body, nobody would dare attack. That meant Mima had all the time in the world…

* * *

><p>Anybody could sense it; the waves of sheer power emanating from the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Even a yukkuri would notice it, like the one in the Hakurei Shrine, being given sweets by its resident shrine maiden. "I'm glad I let them resolve it themselves," Reimu assured herself. "I can't go risking my life; I'm the only Hakurei left so if I die, Gensokyo dies with me."<p>

"Go fight," the yukkuri said. "You're Reimu! Red and white is almost Gensokyo's flag!"

"…"

"The yukkuri's right," a particular turtle said. "It's long been Hakurei tradition to fight for the sake of Gensokyo, no matter the odds or risk. You'd be doing your family shame to sit back here. If that old hag Mima possessed your body, I'm sure your friends would risk their lives to save you. I remember one time when your mother faced a similar situation; some demon managed to take over her body and was using her power to terrorize Gensokyo."

"I take it somebody saved the day," Reimu said.

"Indeed. Some red-haired witch, I forget the name. She flew by, and literally sacrificed her own life to save your mother. The two were very close, so it tore both of them apart in the end, but Gensokyo was safe and the Hakurei family was able to resume its duties like normal."

"You better not be trying to tell me to sacrifice myself, Genjii."

"Certainly not! Look, maybe this is just an old turtle talking, but Gensokyo needs more heroes these days with all these strange new faces popping in and stirring things up. There's only you, Marisa, and that Kochiya shrine maiden, and she's the one being possessed! What I'm saying is that you need to get down there, exorcise Mima, save Sanae, and destroy that old hag for good."

"…"

"Grab your yin-yang orbs and your other tools, and go kick some ass, Reimu!"

"If I don't?"

"We'll have a problem," somebody added to the conversation.

"Yukari! Quit showing up uninvited!"

"Oh, but you never invite me over, Reimu. How else will I show up?"

"…"

"You were awfully willing to fight during the last incident. You're always the first one to take up arms and solve an incident, so why are you hanging back this time?" Yukari opened a gap, stuck her hand in, and pulled out a small box chocolate snacks, offering one to Reimu. "Yes, it's risky, but what incidents aren't?"

"I'm done with this conversation." Next thing she knew, all four of Reimu's limbs were halfway in a gap. "Hey! What are you doing!"

"You're not going _anywhere_ until you go out to resolve this incident. During the scarlet mist incident, you fought just to get your summer back. When I helped Yuyuko try to have the Saigyou Ayakashi bloom, you did it just to have your spring. Endless night incident, you only wanted your sunlight back. You only tried to resolve the flower-blooming incident because all the flowers irritated you, and when the Moriya Shrine popped up you only stormed the place for the sake of your own shrine."

"What's your point?"

"My point," Yukari asked, rather frustrated. "My point is that you're selfish as a shrine maiden! It's time for you to get up and take a serious step as the Hakurei miko! I've been sitting back the whole time in the hopes that you'd resolve this, and I'm honestly beginning to regret letting things go this far! Sanae's struggling with all her heart to get back control of her own body by your arch-nemesis; an arch-nemesis who I just recently had to gap to Eientei because she was nearly killed by an attack powerful enough that I had to actually put all my energy to maintaining the Hakurei Border, or else Mima would have destroyed Gensokyo _and_ the outside world! This isn't some silly youkai being bored or some random location popping up. This is a serious threat to the safety of not just Gensokyo, but the outside world and maybe every other world if Mima can beat Sanae for control over her body!"

"…"

"It's time to take a stand," Yukari said, holding out Reimu's gohei. "If you don't try to resolve this, _I_ will. And my methods are going to be a lot less…gentle, than yours." Hopefully that would get Yukari's point across; that if she had to get involved, she would kill both Sanae and Mima, as well as anybody who tried to stop her. Opening a hole in Reimu's roof, Yukari pointed to black cracks in the sky. "See that, Reimu?"

"What…the…hell?"

"Mima caused serious damage to the Hakurei Border, and she's too powerful for Sanae to beat alone. If Mima keeps a goddess for a host body like that, she can and probably will destroy the Hakurei Border. What do you suppose will happen to the outside world? Gensokyo would become a part of it! Now, I make an occasional sojourn to the outside world, and the humans there have trouble understanding things that are new to them. If all the creatures of their nightmares enter their world, what do you think will happen between us and those humans?"

"…war."

"Yes. In the end, either Gensokyo or the human world will be completely eradicated, if not both worlds, so who will stop this?"

"…I guess I have no choice."

Giving Reimu her full limbs back, Yukari said "That's right. You don't. This is how a Hakurei miko goes down in legends; not by being beautiful or powerful, but by doing something just like this and saving Gensokyo from an unimaginable threat." Handing the miko her gohei, Yukari said "Don't forget your yin-yang orbs, and anything else that you think you may need to fight Mima. When you're ready, I'll gap you over to the Scarlet Devil Mansion so that you can combat Mima one last time." Watching the miko run about, grabbing her things, Yukari continued "If you don't destroy her utterly and completely, she _will_ come back for future generations to deal with, so you need to ensure that she's 100% gone, eliminated, and won't ever come back again."

"…I'm ready," Reimu said.

* * *

><p><strong>Now that Reimu got the pep talk of the millennium, she's done running. Yukari made quite a point when she started naming off incidents, though; Reimu usually solves incidents for selfish purposes instead of for the sake of Gensokyo. I wouldn't.<strong>

**Hey, wanna know something cool? Go back up to the beginning of the long scene in the Hakurei Shrine and play the TatshMusicCircle remix of Byakuren's theme (the title is Four Seasons of Loneliness) and it works pretty well, even if Byakuren wasn't mentioned in this chapter :D**

**Byakuren has the second-most-beautiful boss theme in Touhou, right next to Yuyuko's theme in PCB. The remix in Pocket Wars EVO+ is downright beautiful, and on one occasion Byakuren's beautiful theme moved me to tears. That never happened with Yuyuko, though :|**

**I wonder what will be a good theme for when the fight comes? Unlike most fights, I intend to write this one out, and it will be awesome. If I had MMD, knew how to use it, and could dig up a Mima model and a Sanae model, I would so animate it in MMD, even if it took me months.**

**Anybody have Sanae and Mima models for MMD? I know there's a Sanae one out there, but not so sure about Mima-sama...**


	24. Chapter 24: Dreamscape of Nightmare

**This chapter can get kinda confusing if you let it, so lemme clear everything up. When I say "the human world" I mean a representation of it within Sanae's unconscious mind, where most of this chapter takes place. The Sanae/Mima conflict I've waited for has finally begun, but…Sanae is kinda failing compared to how she was earlier imho :|**

* * *

><p>"Get out of my body," Sanae shouted. This struggle to get her body back was beginning to get painful, and it showed in the tight gripping of her head and the pain that showed in her glowing green eyes.<p>

"This body is mine, and always-" _SLAM!_ Something hit her, hard. It was like the weight of an entire person just rocketed into her back from out of nowhere. Turning around to see who it was, both Mima and Sanae were surprised at the sight of the red-white miko standing in front of them.

"Reimu," the two shouted in unison.

"Help me," Sanae pleaded.

"Begone!"

"I've come to help Sanae," Reimu said. "I'm not leaving here without her!"

"I see," Mima said. "…I understand your intentions. However, I refuse to let you take this away from me!" Mima and Sanae were both inside the same mind now, so the evil spirit forced both of them into the unconscious parts of that mind, letting the body fight for itself with an artificial conscious and subconscious that Mima created on her way down for the sole purpose of combating Reimu. The fight for Gensokyo would be between Reimu and an artificial personality. The battle for Sanae's body, however, would take place inside the brain between the miko and Mima; a battle of mental and emotional attacks rather than physical harm.

* * *

><p><strong>Inside Sanae's unconscious mind…<strong>

Depending on where one stood to observe, the scenery of the manifestation of Sanae's unconscious looked like a peaceful field. Bright green grass, flowers of various colors scattered about, and bright blue skies. Then one would locate a white picket fence, directly next to which sat a black iron fence, behind which lied a black and barren wasteland under bloody red clouds. Now, however, mental manifestations of both Sanae and Mima met at these fences as they collapsed.

"What have you done," Sanae asked.

"I've put the two of us in your unconscious mind to fight over control of your body; Reimu is fighting an artificial personality I constructed on the way here that was built solely to fight her. We'll do battle by mental means rather than assaulting each other, as I don't want your brain damaged when I defeat you."

"I won't give up this fight," the miko said bravely. "I'll hold out for years if I have to; I refuse to give up so that Reimu has all the time she needs to exorcise you from my body. Once that happens, you and I are going to fight in Gensokyo instead of my head."  
>"We'll see. From this point onward, we both have complete access to view each other's memories, ambitions, and every aspect of our opponent's mind. And in this fight of the mind, I intend to go straight for the metaphorical jugular."<p>

"Do what you will!"

"And indeed I shall…" Mima looked through all of Sanae's memories, down to the finest detail and how many clouds were in the sky at any given moment. Mima had to end this fight fast so she could personally deal with Reimu. Mima loved peeking into the memories of others, and it always showed in that whenever she had a mental battle such as this, her attacks almost always exaggerated bad memories or corrupted good ones. "Let's begin with the memory strongest in your head!"

* * *

><p><strong>Human world, roughly a year before the Moriya Shrine's appearance in Gensokyo…<strong>

A school classroom. It was Sanae's class, and she sat next to the window, near the back. In reality, the chair behind her was always empty, but this time it was filled in by a green-haired, green-eyed monster. "Present, ma'am," Mima said when her name was read on the list. Then, leaning in toward Sanae, she asked "Did you hear about the fire?"

"What fire," Sanae asked on edge. She was a pyrophobic girl; always was. Even to this day, Sanae was terrified of fire. "Did everybody get out okay?"

"Not sure yet. We'll have to find out. Please do tell, what's the date today?"

"The last day of October…you didn't!"

"Is it already nighttime, Sanae? You'd best run along home."

"…" After looking out the window to see that it was indeed nighttime now, Sanae leapt out of her seat and bolted out of the classroom. Mima couldn't have…

_FWOOSH!_ The front door burst into flame, causing Sanae to jump back quite a distance and nearly giving her a heart attack. The school burning was never in her memories, though…it seemed that Mima was going to have some fun with her. The would-be miko ran to the nearest window. _FWOOSH!_ The plants just outside the window burst into massive flames. And in the blink of an eye, all Sanae could see outside was fire. She wanted to go home. That was all she thought about as she slowly backed into a corner furthest from any fire. She wanted to go home. She wanted to see "crazy aunt" Suwako. But she knew that by now, that too would be burnt to the ground. After all, this night was strongest in her memories, and even fueled her nightmares to this very day. The night of the fire…

"Give up," Mima asked from above. "With a snap of my fingers, all of this can end. The fire, the memories, and everything else bad. All I want is control of your body, Sanae."

"I won't give it to you!"

"…I'm disappointed. Perhaps you need more of a push. Let's have a peek, what else are you afraid of? How about…" That fear. Sanae's fear of spiders. The fires outside the door made it melt, and in stepped a massive eight-legged bug the size of the door.

That lead to an ear-shattering shriek from Sanae. "I wanna go home," she cried.

"It's burnt down, remember? This was the night your house burned down and caved in on your family, killing. You know, looking at your memories…" Mima continued as the arachnid continued closer to Sanae. "You could have saved them. You had but one friend in this school, and your family's house just happened to burn down on the one night you felt like spending the night with that friend of yours."

"Get the spider away from me," Sanae said shakily with tears filling her eyes from a combination of terror and Mima's words. "Please!"

"Scared? Scarred? Both? All I want if your body, and if you give me that alone, I'll make all the fear end. If not…" Mima's spider spit out a wad of web, trapping Sanae in that little corner. "I haven't had a chance to do anything like this in many years, and this happens to be one of my favorite pastimes."

"…I-I won't surrender," Sanae quivered. "I won't!"

"Sanae, you're starting to irritate me. By digging into your memories, however, I see that there are still more things you fear. What if I were to add…_this_, into the mix?" A flash of green light blasted from Mima's hand, and when it subdued, ten honest-to-Suwako zombies stood behind the mammoth spider, slowly making their way toward Sanae now that the spider stopped approaching, having stopped nearly right in front of Sanae.

"G-Get me out of here," Sanae begged in horror, trying as hard as she could to break out of the webbing that held her down. The tears that filled her eyes started spilling hard as Mima's new victim sobbed "I don't want to die!"

"Then give me control of your body," Mima said from behind the zombies. "With a snap of my fingers, I can extinguish these fires and get rid of all these nightmarish creatures. I don't see why you fear spiders, though. I had a pet spider when I was your age."

"I won't," Sanae screamed, bordering on hysteria. "I can't give you my body and I won't!"

"…" _Snap._ Fire was gone. Spider was out of the picture, zombies were nowhere to be seen, and Sanae wasn't webbed into a corner any longer. "You're _really_ pissing me off," Mima said. "After one last look in your memories, I saw one thing you fear more than any human being can imagine. _One_ thing. I think I'll have to utilize that ultimate fear," Mima said as her skin turned a jet black along with her outfit, her green eyes beginning to glow viciously. "Do you recall the night after your eighth birthday?"

"I had a nightmare," Sanae said. "About…no…no!"

"Yes. _That_." Mima began to increase in size and deepen in voice as she said "That monster that filled your most horrible nightmares for years, born of anything and everything that you fear!"

And like that, Sanae scurried up to her feet and started running. Sanae didn't even want to look back and risk seeing that monster. It was her number-one fear; something the deepest darkest parts of her mind created and something that produced fear so intense that it would cling to her for an entire day. A pitch-black beast with bright glowing green eyes. It stood two stories in height and could change its form to whatever it desired, but those two main features would always remain. Aside from altering its appearance, though, the monster was capable of damn near anything. In some nightmares it would suck in her house with tornado-like force and in others it would flood everything. The point, though, was that it was a monster of absolute destruction that couldn't be stopped, and Sanae got scared just thinking about it, even to this day and despite the fact that she very well knew that it was only a dream.

"Give up," Mima's voice loudly echoed through the halls. "You know you're afraid. I can smell your fear, Sanae, so I will find you…"

Sanae's eyes darted around in every direction as she took small careful steps. _BANG!_ Her head whipped around to the source of the noise; her locker. She needed to find a hiding place…

The locker door flung open and out reached the pitch-black claws of the monster Sanae feared so much. "I've got you," Mima shouted. The scream Sanae let off was probably the loudest one Mima had ever heard in her long history, which said something.

* * *

><p><strong>The manifestation of Sanae's unconscious mind…<strong>

"I wanna go home," Sanae whimpered, curled up on the soft grass beneath her. "Let me go home."

"Give me this body of yours and you can go home. I'll eject your spirit and you can go home. I'm keeping your powers, mind you."

"…I can't."

"What?"

"I can't give up!"

"**NO!**" The grass and flowers of Sanae's tranquil field quickly began to die out as the red clouds of Mima's wasteland began to spread. "Then I'll have to open your mind to terror you can't even imagine!"

"My mind," Sanae whispered to herself… "My mind…" That was it! The miko leapt up to her feet, and said "This is _my_ mind, so begone!"

"…"

"Eh-heh…bye!" As fast as she could, Sanae turned around and started running.

* * *

><p><strong>I just wanna hug Sanae tight and tell her it's okay. It's sick, but I enjoy imagining what kinds of things different characters are afraid of. Like Sanae being scared of fire and spiders, or how my usual portrayal of Yoshika is afraid of thunderstorms. As for Mima, I think her biggest two fears are Reimu and Shinki, because Mima knows if she fights either of those two, she's gonna get her ass handed to her.<strong>

**Things are turning out differently than I intended, but I have a fun little something planned out for when Mima's defeated. Let's just say Marisa's heavily involved in my little scheme.**

**Oh, on an unrelated note, Alice is gonna live. Lucky dollmaker is lucky; Mima just barely missed her heart with one knife and only caused minor damage to her eye with the other. Alice with an eyepatch?**

**Hot. Oh, I'm getting awfully close to that 25-chapter marker :D**


	25. Chapter 25: A New Wind at the Shrine

**I think the chapter name makes it kinda obvious that this is the final chapter. Remember when I said I wanted to have a chapter where The Eternal Steam Engine was a good soundtrack? This chapter ends at the Moriya Shrine, and guess what, mission accomplished! The Eternal Steam Engine is a good song to play when reading the last scene at the Moriya Shrine. I think this is a really light and fluffy ending compared to the dark nature of the entire fanfic, which is exactly what I was aiming for.**

**My endings are always light and fluffy, and usually heart-warming as well, such as this one. I hope that after so many dark chapters, the ending warms your heart like a nice cup of hot cocoa…**

**Damn. I should've added some hot cocoa into the final scene.**

* * *

><p>The fight for Gensokyo had evolved into Mima versus Reimu, Marisa, Kanako, Suwako, the entire Myouren crew, and Shinki, plus the battle inside Sanae's head. The shocking part was how all that remained in the fight was Reimu, Marisa, and Kanako. Kanako didn't want to do any harm because of Sanae being the host body, but was told to suck it up by both Reimu and Marisa. "I need an opening," Reimu said, barely dodging the next in Mima's furious attacks. "Then I can exorcise Mima!"<p>

"Leave it to me da ze!" Out with the hakkero! "Love Sign: Non-Directional Laser!"

* * *

><p><strong>Sanae's unconscious mind; Mima's second attack…<strong>

"Make it stop," Sanae sobbed, down on her knees and hands with tears flowing out her eyes. This attack wasn't based on memory or fear, but scenario. In front of the miko stood an execution block with Mima as the executioner, and next to her was a large basket filled with two severed heads. The first execution was Reimu, but Sanae refused to give up the battle for her body. After that, Mima struck her in a much more personal way by executing Suwako. Stepping up to the block was Mima's third execution. Kanako.

"I can stop any time. That time will be when you finally give up in this hopeless resistance of yours. The longer you resist, the longer your friends are out there, fighting me. If it goes on too long, the _real_ Reimu will die, just like the real Suwako will, and of course…" Mima raised the bloody axe over the imaginary sky goddess's neck, and said "The real Kanako will die as well."

"P-Please…don't do it!"

"On the count of three now. One…" No response save for Sanae's continuous sobbing. "Two…th-"

"I'll do it!"

"You'll do _what_?"

"I, Sanae Kochiya, relinquish to you, Mima-sama, control over-" _CRASH!_ Sanae's eyes darted up to the sky that was literally splitting in two and shining a bright light down on Mima, as did the eyes of the evil spirit herself.

"Wh…What is this?" Something was happening. Something that shouldn't have happened at all. "N-No! I was so close, I'm not getting forced out of your body like this! I won't allow it!" Mima continued shouting about how she refused to give up Sanae's body as the light lifted her up toward the sky. "Damn you, Sanae! You're far too damn kind! Let me tell you something, nice girls always finish-" _Pop!_ Mima wasn't there anymore.

That meant Sanae had to get back into her own conscious mind and take her body back!

* * *

><p><strong>Gensokyo…<strong>

"-last!"

"You look pissed, ze."

"!"

"It's over," Reimu said. "You've been exorcised from Sanae's body, and between myself, Marisa, and Kanako, you're beat."

"No…I'm never beaten," Mima shouted, rocketing up into the sky on massive black wings. "I'll fight you three on one!" The evil goddess raised the tip of her crescent staff, and from that point, thick black clouds began to spread across the world, blocking out any sunlight. "Magic Sign: Complete Darkness!"

"Damn." Reimu wasn't ready for this. "I didn't expect her to be that powerful. I think three on one is a losing battle here."

"Make it four," another voice added, gripping Reimu's shoulder to pull herself off the ground. "Exorcism won't save you here," Sanae said. "You need a miracle."

"I like your thinking. She's in the sky, so Kanako…"

"On it," the sky goddess said, and seconds later the group could see Mima caught in a vicious maelstrom of intense winds. "Gotta get them off-balance before you shoot them down." Then with a snap of her fingers, _CRASH!_ A massive bolt of lightning struck Mima in the back, shooting her back down to the quartet. "Alright girls, on three…" Marisa's hakkero started glowing, as did Reimu's yin-yang orbs as Sanae prepared to perform the final exorcism. "One, two…three!"

"Love Sign: Final Spark!"

"Fantasy Heaven!"

"Mountain of Faith!"

And up stepped a number of others as well, all charging power for a final attack!

"Soul: Severe Trauma!"

"Subterranean Rose!"

"Red Magic!"

"Sun Sign: Royal Flare!"

"Great Magic: Devil's Recitation!"

"Great Magic: Devil's Recitation!"

Mima's eyes widened in shock. All these attacks coming at her, all at the same time. There was no time to dodge! Even if it was just danmaku, the sheer amounts headed at her would be enough to kill a person! "If that's how it will be…Magic Sign: Twilight Spark EX!" One grand final laser, tearing through the danmaku like a knife. But when the attack subsided, her cocky expression faded off her face one final time. Flying at her like a rocket was the girl who just seconds ago acted as her host body, fist reared back to deliver one solid punch to Mima, knocking her out of the sky.

* * *

><p><strong>Moments later…<strong>

Mima was beat. Her body was fading as she got exorcised one final time; this time to never be seen again in Gensokyo. And when the evil spirit regained consciousness, she started freaking out. "N-No! Look what you've done to me!" Mima's eyes darted around; there was something she needed to do! Grinning wickedly the second she saw Marisa, she shouted "Consider this my goodbye present!" Not a split second later had Mima flown straight through Marisa, grabbing the black-white witch's heart right out of her chest along the way in a brilliant flash of green light. And then Mima was gone. Never again to be seen in Gensokyo.

"Marisa!" Reimu and Alice both ran up to the witch's side, lifting her head off the ground. "Come on," Alice begged, shaking the witch. "Stay alive!" But she knew it was pointless. Marisa probably died the second Mima passed through her, and the truth struck her with tears. That is, until a ghostly hand gripped her shoulder.

"Don't think you're solving the next incident without me, ze."

"Marisa!" The dollmaker spun around, hugging the now-ghostly witch tightly. "I was so afraid! I thought Mima killed you!"

"She did. I'm a ghost now, just like Mima-sama was." Goodbye present indeed; Marisa could now train herself and hone her power to the same level that Mima was at, if not a higher scale of power!

* * *

><p><strong>Moriya Shrine, the following morning…<strong>

All was back to normal at the Moriya Shrine. Sanae fell asleep the instant Mima was defeated, so Kanako and Suwako carried her home and put her to bed. And when the miko's eyes opened and saw her home, it felt better than being a child on Christmas morning. Leaping out of bed, Sanae put on her shrine maiden clothes that hung near her bed, just waiting for her. She had to see Kanako and Suwako!

"In the end," Suwako said to her sky goddess companion, standing in front of a whiteboard with a map of Japan on it with various locations colored in green or blue, "I guess what I'm trying to say is that you only won the war because you had the high ground. If you were near the shores, I could have taken you out with-"

"Suwako-sama! Kanako-sama!" Sanae darted into the room and held both goddesses as tightly as she possibly could. "I missed you both so much! I'm so sorry for all the bad stuff I did, and I promise that I'll be good from now on!"

"…"

"I-Is something…wrong?"

"Maybe you're _too_ good," Suwako said. "After all, being such a good girl is what got you into this mess. If you're angry and need to do something bad from time to time, that's fine, Sanae. As long as you're still the good girl Kanako and I love so much, it's all fine with us!"

"…thank you," Sanae said, hugging the two even tighter, much at the expense of the flow of oxygen through Suwako's body. "Thank you both so much. For everything you've ever done for me, I have to thank you from the bottom of my heart."

"It's nothing," Kanako said, smirking a bit at Suwako's face as it started turning blue. "You're the last of the Kochiya family, though, and you're only human…"

"I try to not think about that."

"You need to meet a guy!"

"Wh-What!" Those six words were the last ones that Sanae ever expected to hear from Kanako, who had chased off many a boy when Sanae lived in the human world under the guise of a crazy grandmother. "W-Well, I mean I guess it wouldn't do any harm, but-"

"Ayayayaya!"

"Bad time, Aya!"

"You won't believe this! There's an incident going on!" Dropping an issue of the Bunbunmaru on the table, Aya said "My sales are at an all-time low!"

"…" Sanae just turned back to the two goddesses in her arms. Between the confrontation with Mima, going crazy and doing such horrible things, and having her worst fears and memories shoot to the surface, she just wanted to spend some time here alone with her family. Two goddesses…no. _Three_ goddesses.

**THE END…**

* * *

><p><strong>Happy ending! I was going to do an epilogue chapter, but I decided against it, so I'll tell you what happened to some folks from there here in my author notes.<strong>

**Mima was deemed guilty by Eiki (big surprise there) and sent to the lowest pits of hell for all eternity; deeper than Konngara. She's gonna get exactly what she's had coming.**

**Marisa did indeed keep on training, in that same house where her training as a witch began. After some months, she became just as powerful as Mima was and has been using her power for the good of Gensokyo. It's safe to say that she's matured since then.**

**Alice, after a few trips to Makai, learned to accept her feelings for Marisa and stop being so tsundere toward the witch. Eventually, the two created a doll together, and with Marisa's help, Alice was finally able to attain her lifelong dream of creating a fully sentient and independent doll.**

**As for Sanae…(start playing The Eternal Steam Engine again, you won't regret it)**

**Sanae lived to become known to Kanako and Suwako as the greatest of Suwako's descendants to ever be a shrine maiden. She kept training herself in her powers and other responsibilities as a shrine maiden, and while she didn't ever accomplish full godhood, she was able to meet somebody special, even if they were always right there. That person was able to help her get over her fears by various methods, and the two were very glad to be in the company of each other. Kanako mentioned it one night during poker, much to Yukari's dismay. That somebody was indeed Reimu Hakurei.**

**Lastly, on a more comical note, Aya's newspaper had to discontinue for good because of horrendous sales when word got out that Aya had lied when she put on the front page that Mima had been killed. Ironically, Aya now works for a new publisher of newspapers who has delivered accurate and quick reports on everything in Gensokyo. Aya's new boss is none other than Momiji Inubashiri.**

**And then there's you, dear reader. You went on to read other fanfics, not quite forgetting about this one, and when the idea strikes you to write a fanfic like no other, you will write it much like how I started this off just an idea. Surely, it will be a huge success**


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